The Beast and the Harlot
by Sarai Sohma
Summary: AU The world's most feared nation-states are becoming dictatorships and an even darker conspiracy led by Madara develops worldwide. Itachi, puppet CEO of a military arms company, blames himself and will do anything to correct his mistakes. With the help of Naruto's ambitious twin sister and Minato's peaceful legacy, can Itachi turn back time? ItaNaruko onsided SasuNaruko NaruHina
1. Orwellian Nightmare

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

_/_

Iruka Umino loved grading his papers outside on the patio of his quiet suburban western-style home. The home loomed over the rest of the neighborhood, proudly showing off its red-brick and white shutter exterior, as it was situated high on a hill. The entire hill itself belonged to him, in fact. On the high but gentle slope held a well maintained vegetable garden. Iruka certainly didn't have the green thumb for that sort of thing; the garden had been made by and taken care of by his foster son, Naruto Uzumaki. That was where the boy was - cursing at weeds and blasting the hose - when the postal truck rolled to the neighbor's mailbox and stopped. Suddenly a blur of blonde zipped down the hill and intercepted the truck before it could make it's way to their own mailbox. There as a moment of silence before a boisterous yell came from the street.

"IT'S HERE! BELIEVE IT!"

Iruka took a sip of his coffee, waiting for his foster son to zip up to the patio and inevitably show him what he had obtained. The young teacher already had a pretty good idea of what it could be. When Naruto finally made his way up, he did a silly dance and pulled out a patio chair to sit on, Iruka asked,

"So her letter is finally here? It's a week late..."

"That's cool! You know international mail is so slow these days... lazy bums." Naruto moved closer to Iruka so that they could read the letter together, and ripped open the envelope.

_NARUTO~! _

_Bro, it's been a while. Happy Birthday! The Pervert and I bought a cake in your honor last night. Or was it for me? Having to share a long-distance cake with my twin brother is so delicious. I'm sending some pictures of it with this letter as a present! Food has become extremely expensive here, so be grateful you brat. Also included is a picture of my newest boy-toy, Alec. He's the one on drums with the dreads. The one with the cigarette is his roommate Carson. I got that job at the theatre as a back-up dancer, too! I don't really like show biz but the only real talents I have are singing and dancing; what else am I going to do with myself? Jiraiya threw in some photos of my first show there but if it wasn't your birthday I would never let you see them! Anyway, I think the pictures will be better at telling you what I've been up to than this letter since you can barely read. HAHAH I love you! Really._

_Jiraiya has been doing a lot of talking about coming back to Japan lately, so with any luck I'll be getting to see you again soon. I was really happy to see you doing so well last time. You have friends and everything! Look at you, growing up so fast! I have something in my eye… Speaking of friends, tell Sasuke I still want my iPod back! I know I have good taste in music and all but damn! Since the government seized control of the internet last month no one can access music without paying this 'toll tax' thing. Most rock music has been censored, too, since it's "radically right-wing". The bands at my work have to carefully replace their lyrics so the police wont close the theatre down completely._

_Good news! Dad's book is doing really well over here. It's done so well that he's been invited to speak at Libertopia, a convention that discusses the philosophy of freedom. If there's one good thing that can be said about the Pervert is that he's done Dad's cause justice. Bad news! Four days ago the book signing in Atlanta was cancelled. A SWAT team and soldiers from Ft. Benning blocked us from entering the mall. The fans outside with us starting protesting to let us through, but the soldiers opened fire with rubber bullets… We managed to get away in the chaos. Apparently the day before President Goodwin had signed an executive order waiving our right to assembly. Now any events with thirty or more people must have papers and permit._

_That's all the time I have to write to you for now, so stay frosty and write back soon! I wish we could video chat like we used to but… well you know what happened last time. Letters will have to do for now. Don't forget to give that bastard Sasuke my message. Hell, punch him, too, for good measure. No, get Sakura to do it. She punches harder than you, pansy. 3_

_I love you brother. Happy Birthday again from the US of A!_

_-Usagi_

Things sounded rough for his sister right now, but Usagi was tough so Naruto knew not to worry too much about her. Besides, he doubted things would be able to get much worse...

A month later another letter was received in much of the same manner, but it arrived on a school day, so Naruto paitiently waited until first class break to read it. He and his best friend, Sasuke Uchiha, sat in the library of their school as Naruto noisily opened the envelope again (receiving a "shhh" from a student studying nearby) and excitedly began reading before passing the letter silently to Sasuke. This was the usual arrangement for receiving letters from Naruto's twin sister on a school day. For whatever reason Usagi insisted on writing the letters in English regardless of the fact that Naruto could barely understand it and she knew near perfect Japanese. The blonde boy was - ironically for his ancestry - horrible in English and needed Sasuke to read the letter after him to make sure he understood what was written.

_Naruto,_

_Expect to see us in a month. The worst has happened since my last letter. I don't even know where to begin… _

_I suppose the best place to start is to say straight-up that the United States is a lost cause- an Orwellian nightmare. _

_Lately there have been a lot of government advertisements on the television and web about home-grown terrorism. They're calling any dissenters of the government "the enemy". We've seen this coming for years but I didn't think it would be this soon…_

_We knew something was up a few days ago when most the American soldiers were shipped to other US bases overseas and foreign mercenaries began patrolling the streets in their place. We just weren't sure what they were up to. We found out at Libertopia; the mercenaries surrounded the convention during Jiraiya's speech and began confiscating and burning all media. Books, phones, cameras, Kindles, mp3 players, internet print-outs, posters, EVERYTHING. Gone. Even the original copy of Dad's book... I lost it in the chaos at some point. A lot of the convention attendees opened gunfire on the soldiers and allowed some of us to get away but I've heard that those captured with weapons were detained or killed… We think the detained have been sent to detention camps run by FEMA, but unfortunately there's no way to know without actually being sent to one yourself. We weren't going to stay there long enough to find out. _

_That's not all. Goodwin has 'publicized' all major businesses. You have to show your papers just to buy food or see a doctor and Jiraiya is red-listed now, so if we show our papers to anyone a SWAT team will be after us immediately. Alec has been buying all our groceries for us lately, but yesterday he didn't show up. Carson said he went to the store and never came back… The warehouse we ship Dad's book from… and our home… was burned to the ground as well. Jiraiya and I have managed to salvage what we could but it's not much. Another speaker from Libertopia is going to help smuggle us out of the country before everyone is injected with tracking chips on Friday. He lives in Canada and thinks he knows a militia helping others escape that we can meet up with. The man is a saint! _

_Most of this hasn't been reported on the news. The public is being told that a violent right-wing rebellion has sprung up and the soldiers are around to protect them from "potential terrorist attacks". People are painfully aware this is bullshit, though, as they watch their family members be dragged away in the witch-hunt. Everyone who was brave enough to do something about it is either imprisoned, dead, or… leaving the country. I'm ashamed of my cowardice, but I think it's good to know when to run and live another day. _

_Sorry if all this sounds so rushed. I hope to see you safe and free soon brother. We're risking a lot to send you this letter. I love you. Wish me and the Pervert luck. _

_-Usagi_

Sasuke finished the letter written on Days Inn stationary and set it down slowly in front of his best friend. Usually Usagi used fairly simple language for her brother's sake but the latest letter was different. The handwriting was rushed and Usagi obviously did not bother to simplify anything.

Beside him, Naruto was trembling. It seemed that Naruto got the gist of her message which was good because Sasuke was not sure he would have been able to repeat what he read. It took a moment for him to realize that he, too, was breathing heavily and fingers playing nervously with the spinning ring on his two teenagers couldn't possibly begin to even comprehend the severity of the danger Usagi and Jiraiya were in now. Things had been fine yesterday. They had even gone shopping with Sakura - a mutual friend - to pick out a welcome home present for when Usagi and Jiraiya eventually came back. A set of headphones shaped like skulls for the sister, and a pin-up of Tia Tequila for her guardian. It didn't matter that no one actually knew when the two would arrive; Naruto had been so excited that it was infectious. However, if they came home refugees… it made things difficult for celebration. No, WHEN they came home; Sasuke could not bear to think of ifs.

They were collectively quiet for a long time neither of them knowing what to say or where to begin. There was only the sound of people passing them in the school library. It was a quiet, safe place to read these letters as they rarely came here for any other reason. People mostly pass one by without thought or attention. The tall bookshelves filled with sturdy books provide a feeling of safety. In this case, however, it felt less like a fortress and more like a foxhole.

Eventually Sasuke came out of his morbid thoughts enough to mechanically pat his friend's orange-hoodie clad shoulder. This seemed to bring Naruto back as well because although he did not turn to look at his raven-haired friend, Naruto's surprisingly steady voice graveled, "We should throw the welcome-home party at your place, Teme. Enough room for the Pervert's fat ass and maybe some dancing." Sasuke could obviously see that Naruto was trying to dodge reality by making positive plans for the future but Sasuke couldn't blame him at all… he wanted to do the same. "Ah. I'll talk to Aniki about it. He'll probably want to leave the house." Naruto nodded absently before rubbing his hands over his face and shaking his head as if he were shaking water from his hair. The headphones that had been on top of his head fell to hug his neck with the motion. When Naruto finally looked back at Sasuke he was grinning from ear to ear. "Thanks, Teme! You better have that iPod ready this time."

Sasuke threw his black-denim studded jacket over his left shoulder and smirked. "She can forget it, Dobe. Not a chance."

/

The city of Konoha was a medium-sized metropolitan area located on the Japanese island of Kyushu. A new joint American and Japanese military base was built right outside the city around twenty years ago which made the general population of Konoha very diverse. It was one of Japan's fastest growing cities before the global depression worsened and still continued to be a place business of all kinds strive to set-up shop. Among the wealthiest of these companies that made their fortune in Konoha was the world's leading military arms producer, Uchiha Corporation.

In the top floor of Konoha's second highest building resided the CEO suite of Uchiha Corp. The office was modern looking with black glass furniture and red cloths for upholstery and rugs. There were splashes of white: the computer, a vase of lilies, some couch cushions. Near the back against a full three-wall-length window sat a desk; in front of it was two couches facing one another with a coffee table in center. Opposite the desk was an elevator, the only entrance and exit of the 66th floor. The office was kept spotlessly clean; the only smell to describe being that of a steaming cup of green tea sitting on the desk. Natural light from the window clearly illuminated a book in being read by the building's owner and Uchiha Corp. CEO, Uchiha Itachi.

"PREFACE: FIVE PREMISES OF INDIVIDUALISM FOR CREATING A VOLUNTARY SOCIETY

1) Individuals have the born right to their life, as they own their sovereign bodies and minds,

2) Individuals have the born right to not be aggressed against and maintain, defend and possess liberty of their sovereignty, but do not have the right to aggress and infringe upon another's individual's sovereign life and liberty,

3) Things obtained or made from an individual is a product of both their life and liberty, which they exclusively own, therefore that product is their exclusive property,

4) Individuals own what their sovereignty produces as property including their goods, services, and social interactions as long as it is acquired justly by not infringing upon another's life or liberty, and therefore are responsible for the outcome of said products on other sovereign individuals,

5) Therefore in order for individuals to maintain their sovereignty and products thusly created from it and possession considered just, each individual must be able to mutually consent to the exchange of goods, services, or social interactions with another sovereign individual."

Itachi stopped reading momentarily to gingerly turn to the next page. He did so in a manner as to not tear or skip over anything, like a monk might treat an ancient piece of scripture. This book was his equivalent. He was enraptured with every word and had barely put it down between business meetings and meals since he acquired it a week ago during a business trip in the States. Sleep was becoming something of a fable.

The irony of what he just read and how he himself acquired the book had not escaped him, but he hoped to atone to its previous owner and the book's author by carefully studying the work. Itachi's guilt was even greater then as he had personally known the man who wrote this book… a virtuous man who met an unfortunate fate… because of Itachi's own father. Itachi had never known he was an accomplished writer or philosopher…

Slowly Itachi removed his reading glasses and set them on his desk, then using that hand to run through his long raven hair. The small, red-cloud-shaped clock on his desk ticked loudly in the silence and the light shining into the office was temporarily blocked by passing cloud outside. A rare, shaky sigh escaped him. The guilt of his work and actions had caught up to him now. It constantly sat in his stomach like lead, constantly making him feel sick and disgusted. Every day since beginning this book it became more and more difficult to hide his feelings on the matter, which was a first for Itachi.

Last week was less a business trip and more an unintentional massacre. Itachi had met with President Goodwin of the United States to sign a deal to produce arms for soldiers stationed in Japan. Goodwin was a rather rotund man with a disgusting habit of licking his lips like a dog would watch a steak. He was balding, but held a straight posture. Probably an American replica of Presidents past.

If Uchiha Corp. actually belonged to Itachi he would have refused to sign the contract and use his company's resources to try and fight what he knew was happening. President Goodwin had just declared himself absolute ruler of his country and a war against all "terrorists". However, Itachi was CEO only in name; Uchiha Corp. actually belonged to his uncle, Madara Uchiha, who had been pulling all of the strings through hostile take-overs since Itachi had inherited the company from his father years ago. Madara had some sort of dastardly agenda all his own, but Itachi knew not what the end goal was; only that he was constantly forced to do horrifying things to advance it. Itachi had long-since steeled himself against the emotions of guilt, fear, and helplessness, but sometimes the burden became too much to bear. It was at those times that Itachi remembered the deal he made with Madara when this nightmare began… to leave Sasuke completely alone and out of the company' business in exchange for Itachi's obedience. The pseudo-CEO would do anything to protect his little brother. So far Madara had kept his word.

The things Itachi had seen there… Soliders had been crawling in every nook and cranny of the Capital. Checkpoints were everywhere; they must have passed four on their way into the city. Building-sized propaganda posters benefiting Goodwin were being posted around every corner. There had been a large military cargo trailer covered in canvas driving in front of their car that had stopped suddenly and a large mass had fallen out of the tarp. The soldiers quickly jumped out to replace… the body. It had been the body of a Hispanic teenage boy. Carelessly it was thrown back into the cargo trailer and off they went again. Itachi kept his car stopped for several minutes as he caught his breath and steeled his nerves before heading on to the White House.

During this "exchange" with the President, a soldier entered the Oval Office and addressed Goodwin in an accent not native to the States, "The extremists have been nullified Mr. President, and all their paraphernalia burned as you ordered."

"Excellent! What of the terrorists themselves? Do we have any casualties?"

"Many, sir. They opened fire on our squadron. The militias were more skilled than we thought, but we were able to overtake them. We have at least 1500 in custody but many managed to get away. I personally was shot at by a girl who dropped this," out of his bulky flack-jacket the soldier pulled a thin paperback book that looked like it had been read at least a dozen times and handed it to Goodwin. "She got away but I believe this is what the illegal assembly was about." Goodwin threw the book over his shoulder without even reading the title and scoffed, "You should have burned this copy with the rest. It is simply a shred of terrorist propaganda. However insignificant, do find the publisher of this piece and eliminate them." The soldier saluted his Commander in Chief and left swiftly.

It was Itachi's simply curious nature that begged him to retrieve the book later, secretly, after everyone else had left and before the Secret Service came to escort him out. The author's name was not on the plain cream cover; just bold black Constantia letters displaying the title The Will of Fire. No picture or title on the binding. For whatever reason the weight of the light book (more like a pamphlet) seemed to be burning a hole in his inside coat pocket like it needed to be read that very second.

When he was finally alone back in his home in Japan he found the time to crack it open and what he found was interesting; all the pages were covered in notes like a textbook and a page near the back was marked with the photograph of a family. Itachi recognized the man immediately. The father was Minato Namikaze, an English teacher from his old high school that taught long before Itachi was old enough to attend. Apparently he had been one of their best and brightest, because photos of he with his students were posted proudly all across campus. Itachi had never known Minato even had a family, but obviously in this picture was his wife and two children around five years of age. His wife looked full of life with vibrant red hair and an all-encompassing grin. Their children – a boy and a girl - at first glance took after Minato with their blonde hair and blue eyes and tan complexion, but looking again he saw the facial features and smile was their mother's. Suddenly Itachi had felt dirty and unworthy but he also felt somehow that it would be wrong to not read this.

Upon turning to the title page to begin reading it sometime later, a discovery hit him like a ton of bricks. In bold letters, much the same as the cover, in the author's section of the page was printed "MINATO NAMIKAZE" along with a few others. Below it was a note scribbled in English,

"_Usagi, _

_My dear daughter, I don't want to sound self-inflated like Mommy says, but I hope when you're older you'll read this and remember me living what I wrote. You might be too young to understand now, but one day you'll know why this work was so important to me: because you and your brother are important to me. Scary days are coming and Daddy might not be around to protect you so you will have to be strong, okay? I love you, sweetie. Happy Birthday._

_-Daddy"_

This copy belonged to Minato's daughter… Usagi. The soldier had said a girl had dropped it and "gotten away". Had it been her…was she still alive? By the notes in the book, mostly written in Japanese, she had obviously studied this book her entire life as her father had requested. Did she live by this doctrine, too? Could such moral and principled people really exist in this world? Itachi felt possessed. He would read every word of this book and memorize it by heart, perhaps find the courage to put it into practice (it was brilliant!), then seek out this daughter and return this precious treasure to her. Maybe this would be enough to repair the damage his family had done to her and Minato's family, but he doubted anything he could do would ever be enough.

Itachi almost jumped as his cell phone vibrated in his suit pocket. There were only a few people who called his cell phone, so he always felt inclined to answer quickly. The caller-ID was "Otouto". Ah, so it was Sasuke? He only called when he wanted something but Itachi was always glad to hear from his little brother. Itachi flipped open his phone and chirped, "Little brother! I thought you had forgotten my number! So good to hear you haven't."

"I did actually," Sasuke said casually from the other end. It was always difficult for even Itachi to tell if Sasuke was joking or not. "I had to get your number off of Naruto's phone."

Itachi pouted, "My heart! Aha well…Is there something you wanted then, little brother? I'm in the middle of something…" Itachi wanted to get back to the book as soon as possible, even going as far to haste a rare conversation with Sasuke. It sat on his desk now, innocently enough to anyone else, but it was really screaming and thrashing in his mind. The cloud that had been drifting across the window before was gone now, leaving the book bathed in natural streaming daylight again.

If there was something unusual about his haste Sasuke didn't let it show in his voice as he continued with business, "Yeah, actually," straight and to-the-point, "I'm not sure what day but sometime next month Naruto's sister should be back and we're going to throw a party at our house. I thought you would like to find another place for the night."

"Ah, I see. That's fine then. I didn't know Naruto had a sister…?" Itachi took a sip of his tea.

"A twin sister, Usagi. She's been overseas a while with her guardian but she finally… uh, has a reason to come home."

Itachi coughed, choking on his tea from shock. Usagi? Itachi looked at the photograph page-marker. He didn't know how he hadn't seen it before! The little boy in the picture looked exactly like Naruto! Strange whisker marks, stupid grin, everything! The girl that originally dropped this book had been overseas, as well, and having soldiers after you was a pretty good reason to leave the country. Could it be…? Itachi decided to take a gamble.

"Usagi… Namikaze, perhaps?"

"Yeah! How… do you know that?" Sasuke sounded extremely skeptical.

"I...," how did Itachi go about explaining this? 'Oh little brother I just happened to be in the United States last week making a business deal with a psychopath dictator against my will when I nabbed a book off a soldier that also just happens to belong to your best friend's only sister who is probably severely injured or dead because of the arms our company produces.' Yes, that was perfect. "just happened across something of hers on my business trip. I might stay for the party so I can return it, if you don't mind."

"Hm…" Sasuke still did not seem convinced by his older brother's oversimplified explanation. This was all extremely coincidental and Itachi was very good at making things work in his favor, although Sasuke was not at all sure what Itachi could get out of this. "I suppose if you can put up with us. Just don't-"

"Oh thank you baby brother! You're the best! I'll see you at home sometime soon. Take care~!"

"Hey Aniki, wait a –" Itachi closed his cell phone before Sasuke could finish.

Itachi had never considered much of fate before in his life, but right now he could not help the niggling notion in the back of his brain that told him that he would become very intimate with Fate from now on.

/

The is the first fanfiction I have posted on in many years. It is a plot I have been mulling around in my head ever since I entered college, and just now do I have the courage to write and publish it. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.

I hope to be making an update once every week at most. There are two chapters now because the original first chapter was eleven pages long. I doubt many people are interest enough to read eleven pages all at once. I have a few betas and I do a lot of proofreading. If you would also like to beta, please contact me. To my current betas: thank you for your support and encouraging critiques.

If you are curious about the "Canadian philosopher"... he's a real person! The book and ideology is based off of him. If you are interested in learning more about it I encourage you to visit his youtube channel under "Stefbot". Also, Libertopia is a real event, as well, although thankfully so far only peaceful meetings have been held! Haha.

Thank you again for reading and if you enjoyed then please review.


	2. Marshall Law

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

/

A convoy of 1944 Studebaker army trucks weaved carefully along a high Rocky Mountain pass. The view out of the back of the convoy was beautiful at this high altitude. Nothing but snow-topped peaks and fir forests for miles, but occasionally they would pass by deer that would quickly be out of sight again. This morning was crisp without a cloud in sight but dew still clung to everything. It was a refreshing feeling. Usagi needed this feeling. Although fear and doubt still gripped her heart, the beautiful morning helped comfort her with hope.

This whole week past seemed like an eternity. Usagi and Jiraiya had made their way mostly on foot 1500 miles in five days somehow through countless checkpoints with fake IDs to a militia outpost in Colorado. From there they joined some 120 other hopeful escapees. Most of them were defected soldiers, both American and foreign. From there the convoy of restored Studebaker trucks (they looked so old, how would they get anywhere in them?) carried the group and their necessary supplied heading north, through the mountains, towards the Canadian border. It was extremely difficult for foreign mercenaries to navigate this mountain range, so it was the escapees best bet for getting as far as possible without being noticed. They had departed the night before around 8 o'clock and had not run into any trouble thus far.

The plan was to reach the Canadian border by nightfall where they would follow a series of rivers on boats north through Alberta, then west through the North West and Yukon territories until they reached Anchorage. According to the militia's intelligence data, Goodwin had neglected to yet send mercenaries to secure Alaska, and the major US bases there had since heard the news and defected completely. At the moment it was a sanctuary for refugees. Hopefully that wouldn't change before they were able to pass through. Usagi and Jiraiya were part of a much smaller group that would be boarding an old military helicopter to the Kamchatka peninsula of Russia where a group of Chechen rebels would be refueling the helicopter to complete the trip into Hokkaido. Even once safe in Japan, they would have to take a train down to Konoha on Kyushu. The difficult part there would be convincing Japanese gate agents that they were truly Japanese citizens and not foreigners seeking refuge. Both Usagi and Jiraiya were white and while the number of foreign races possessing Japanese citizenship was increasing yearly, it was still considered highly unusual.

Jiraiya had been placed with other seniors and a pregnant woman – against his obvious protest – in a truck center the convoy. Usagi was in the very last truck, a single civilian among an entire group of thirteen defected mercenaries and soldiers. The idea was to put the fittest with the most combative experience in the front and rear in case of an ambush. Jiraiya in his dumbass loud-mouth drunkery last night had bragged to the militia commander that Usagi had held off several soldiers on her own at Libertopia with nothing but a 1911 pistol and three magazine rounds. This was only half-true: Usagi had only held off one soldier and even that was with the assistance of two other convention-goers. Unfortunately for Usagi, however, the commander believed her fucking retarded guardian and armed her with an AR-15 and flack-jacket equipped with extra filled magazines and some emergency rations. Apparently she was one of the boys now.

The trip had been mostly silent. Nearly everyone was strangers and in these times soldiers had become extremely untrustworthy. They dare not even trust others of their own kind. No one dared speak, risking both cover and information security. It was times like these that Usagi would pull out her father's book and draw comfort from his letter and the passion he put into his work. Normally she would keep it in her inside coat pocket, but she lost the book in the Libertopia raid. Usagi felt as if she had lost a piece of her soul; she was restless and uneasy, constantly bouncing her knee and eyes shifting back and forth. Her nervous bouncing finally annoyed one mercenary with a whole facial tattoo fashioning him to look a rag-doll with mouth stitching so much he hissed in some sort of African accent, "You dumb girl, you're going to annoy us all to death before the military can even have a chance to kill us off!" Another mercenary with a whole body tattoo that resembled a shark and spikey navy hair grunted in affirmation, "Hn, commander musta gon wahoo, trustin' a little gumpy mole like you ta keep up with us. Don't look like a joe for sure." He had an Australian accent.

Usagi didn't have to put up with bullshit from tools. She didn't even want to be here. However, whenever Usagi actually wanted to deck someone out, she usually ended up using sharp sarcasm instead. "No, I'm an Usagi. You're so observant!"

The shark-man's bulky muscled body jumped to confront her, making the whole truck shake slightly, but was pushed down by a deep red-headed ex-American soldier with a child-like face. His voice was calm and monotonous as he reprimanded his fellow arms man, "Kisame, don't let a child with pigtails rile you up."

Kisame showed his razor-sharp teeth in a grin, "Right-o, mate." Obviously the reprimand was meant to amuse the blue-skinned freak into behaving rather than actually correcting him. It was an effective technique, apparently. Subconsciously Usagi's right hand moved away from the rifle in her lap up to the black lace bow holding her right pigtail. The ribbons had been a gift from her late mother. Usagi took them out only to sleep, shower, and brush her hair. Now with her father's book gone, these ribbons were all that was left of her parents. She would be damned if she let these asses know they were something so sacred. As if they would know what that word meant.

"Funny, coming from Lt. Babyface. I thought you had to at least finish middle school before they let you into the military. I guess they'll take anyone nowadays. I at least look my sixteen years."

A few of the other arms men around the Studebaker tried to hide their laughter and failed. The lanky red-headed man didn't jump up like his friend did, but he did glare awfully hard and would not let up. He could do it for the rest of the ride for all Usagi cared as long as he didn't end up shooting her in the back. To her left another ex-soldier with a weird spiral orange mask holding only one eyehole patted her on the shoulder like a child would a daycare worker. Even though his expression couldn't be seen through the mask, the gesture was friendly so Usagi felt minutely at ease.

"Don't worry Pretty Lady, Tobi does funny things when he's nervous, too. Everyone does." The rag-doll man from before inserted a "who's nervous?! I'm just pissed I can't be paid for babysitting" but was largely ignored. A lot of the other men nodded in agreement with Tobi inserting their own comfort into the conversation. One soldier even made Usagi laugh out loud with his comment, "Nervous? I think I've already shit my pants!" She felt gratitude and somewhat better, but she didn't think anyone really expected to have a bright disposition at the moment. The group carried on with conversation and laughter in this way well on into the day and Usagi for a short time forgot the certain danger lurking just ahead in her future.

/

The convoy reached the border on schedule right after nightfall, but not all was going according to plan. The mountain pass they had planned to take straight through to Alberta had been caved-in by a rock slide. Sasori (Usagi had later learned was Lt. Babyface's name) informed the commander that the cave-in looked as if it had been man-made, probably by a demolition team. Suddenly the once beautiful snow-capped slopes felt like a prison fortress. This was possibly a trap. It was determined that the convoy would have to turn around and go two-miles west through a checkpoint. The combative trucks were independently, as not to alarm the civilians, told to prepare for a fight. Those who could fight would have to ambush the guards and secure the checkpoint for passing. If the guards contacted back-up then the entire convoy was jeopardized. A ragtag strategy was made in less than 20-minutes using a local map and guestimates.

No pressure.

Usagi tried her best to steady her nerves to no avail. The assault rifle visibly rattled in her hands and she took deep breaths. She felt so guilty for being so cowardly when she was certainly not the only one having to go through this. Usagi remembered the pregnant woman, and the family of five, and all the others defenseless depending on her to be brave. She thought of Jiraiya not being armed and her brother Naruto clueless at home in Japan where it was still safe… at the moment. This thought caused her to straighten her back and at least lessen her shaking, placing a determined grit on her facade. Usagi would not let what happen to her home happen to Naruto's home. She would make it through this alive no matter what.

Once the checkpoint was reached, the convoy stopped a quarter-mile ahead where they were hidden behind a hump in the combatants in Usagi's truck would continue ahead on foot where the men would position themselves hiding among the trees and brush while Usagi played a very… special distraction. Tobi had helped rip her clothes in revealing places, rub her with lots of dirt and grass, and made a shallow cut in her side just deep enough to make it look like she was bleeding out. It hurt like hell but Usagi was able to block out the pain by thinking of getting through the checkpoint alive. Slowly the blonde girl dragged her way toward the checkpoint blockade.

At first their plan was working. A soldier rushed to catch Usagi right before she collapsed into his arms, whispering weakly about the "dirty traitors resorting to vulgarity in the woods" and how she just managed to get away from them. While this was happening the convoy's men began circling the checkpoint still hidden by the shadows of the forest, each one had sights trained on a different guard. The guards bought it and began to carry Usagi to a medical truck when one of the guards lifted a walkie-talkie to his face and all hell broke loose.

The guard was shot in the temporal lobe before he had the device to his chin and immediately the other checkpoint guards were firing on the trees. The guard holding Usagi dropped her, scrambling for his SAIGA assault rifle when he was shot in the back and landed on top of her. Quickly she shoved the dying man away and made for the gate, as planned. She couldn't let herself think of the lives they were taking. This was self-defense, she reminded herself, but tears still came to her eyes and sobs racked her chest. Regardless of the overwhelming waves of emotion washing over her she refused to completely break-down. Usagi had to do her part. She had to make it out alive. Even while crying uncontrollably, the teenager managed to make it to the control panel on the gate where she slammed her fist on the "OPEN" button to allow the convoy through.

After that, supplies were looted from the checkpoint camp, Usagi received treatment for her side and the convoy continued through to the first waterway they would use to travel north. Her truck was emptier now as five men had been shot and killed at the checkpoint. The empty seats were haunting, so the men placed their packs in between one another to fill the gaps, but the feeling did not leave. Everyone felt numb with shock and loss and couldn't speak at all for fear they would further jinx their situation. Luckily there was only one more incident involving American soldiers between boarding the river boats and reaching Alaska three days later. Luckier still there were no casualties. However, once in Alaska and travelling on the Yukon River, things seemed to turn for the worst. An out-of-season blizzard hit the group, causing the entire line to take shore and seek shelter in a cave until it passed. It didn't pass until two days later. Everyone was out of food and an elderly couple had frozen to death during the night.

Unlike the arms men that died at the border, the elderly couple was able to receive a proper burial although no one knew them personally so there were no memory rites. The group decided to set-up camp long enough for food to be acquired and enough stocked to finish the two day journey to Anchorage. A group of skilled hunters was among them, and before nightfall of the next day they had tracked a herd of caribou and obtained meat from them. It was a gruesome affair but no one was complaining about their filled stomachs afterwards. While everyone was packing camp the next morning Usagi left to use the restroom. When she had not returned after a long time Jiraiya convinced the commander to wait another hour, but when she still had not returned the commander said that they could not wait any longer.

"I cannot lead these people into anymore danger if I can help it," he reasoned. "If the girl takes much longer then we risk getting caught by a ranger patrol. Fairbanks is two mountains south and we don't know their status in this situation. They could be hostile to refugees. It's safer to avoid it completely."

No one could really disagree with his logic, but Jiraiya pleaded that they at least leave behind a jon boat with some supplies in case she eventually made her way back. Kisame agreed this was a good plan and also volunteered to stay behind and wait for her to return. "I've grown rather fond of the cow. If she doesn't return from the toot by tomorrow I'll use the boat to catch-up." The commander agreed they had enough supplies to spare, but only if Jiraiya continued on with the group. They could leave enough for two people, but not three. Reluctantly Jiraiya agreed and they all left Kisame to wait alone for Usagi's improbable return.

Meanwhile, Usagi had gotten horribly lost. Didn't she pass that tree already? She had never seen that boulder before. The blonde had always been horrible with directions. She only went a few feet from the camp to take a piss! Or so she had thought. How could this have happen? Eventually after hours of wandering around she sat cross-legged against a tree and shut her eyes. How on Earth was she going to make it out of here? Usagi knew the group planned to leave shortly after dawn and it was late morning now. Would they wait for her? The commander was responsible for some hundred other people so if he was being logical she doubted he would. The cold was numbing her limbs and she was quickly becoming sleepy which she knew to be symptoms of oncoming hypothermia. Usagi knew she should have eaten more than one strip of jerky last night (her first meal in three days), but there had been a child shorted on food...

Slipping in and out of consciousness Usagi opened her eyes straight ahead. She couldn't feel her body anymore so she hadn't felt the large raven that had begun tugging on her pants leg, but now she could see it. 'Great,' she thought, 'I'm dead enough that scavengers can already sense it.' She managed to find her right leg enough to kick the raven away, but he just came back. Fat tears just drifted down her cheeks at a lazy pace. This was it Usagi supposed. The dancer wouldn't be able to make it home alive like she promised herself. Thank goodness she was numb, at least, so she wouldn't be able to feel the raven picking out her organs later. Opening her eyes again a few minutes later she saw the raven had moved to her stomach, sharp beak rubbing softly against her wet face.

Was Usagi hallucinating? If she were she would claim the bird was wiping away her tears, but logically she knew this was stupid. It was probably just enjoying the chance at warm water. The sight forced her to keep her eyes open, though, as she watched it hop off of her and in the direction to the left a bit before turning back to her and tugging on her pants leg once more. The raven repeated this action five or six more times. It wanted Usagi to follow it? Now she knew she was hallucinating but what the hell did she have to lose? Even this crazy imagining of hers could give her enough will to at least make it to a spot she could die in peace. Using all the willpower she possessed, Usagi forced herself through the numbness over onto her side and used the tree to pull herself up on to her feet.

The large black bird began to hop gingerly through the forest in a slightly familiar direction. All of the trees and snow and rocks began to blend together in Usagi's mind, however, and the only form she could distinctly make out was the raven. It stopped occasionally, probably allowing her to catch-up as she stumbled after it like a gimp zombie, and she dutifully followed. It took less than an hour of following the raven before the rocks began to slope and the sound of a river raged in earnest. It was a beautiful sound. Suddenly Usagi had hope and hobbled faster after the raven; when they crossed through a thicket of tall yellow grass she could see a blue human-shaped blur by the river in the distance. Was that Kisame? She barely remember calling out his name – it sounded more to her like the caw of a raven – before she could not walk any further and passed out from cold and exhaustion.

Before consciousness left her completely, Usagi watched the raven fly towards the blinding cloudless Alaskan sky and thought that fate had never before played a big role in her life, but she could not help the niggling notion in the back of her brain that told her that she would become very intimate with Fate from now on.

/

I am still trying to understand exactly how the new FanFiction document manager works. It's very complicated and confusing. Please bear with me while I figure out exactly what does and does not show up here.


	3. Tool

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

/

A bell rang in the school tower sounding timeless and sophisticated, and at its beckon a flood of neat uniforms piled through the large glass-paned double doors in virtual concert. The chatter mostly kept to a minimum and eventually the courtyard filled with cobblestone and shrubs and towering oaks was also filled with silence. A few song birds flew down from the trees to peck at the ground from which the students before them had migrated. The bell chimed nine times after it's song, and on its last ring another sound just as loud and persistent blended in and replaced it. The school's headmaster was currently closing the door behind the last student when he stopped to listen.

"TEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEMMMME EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

In the distance the headmaster could see a patch of golden blonde hair rising over the hill until the face attached to it also arose revealing the screeching rhino that was Naruto Uzumaki. For whatever reason a toothbrush was still in his mouth, his hands occupied in attempting to tie his infamous delinquent headband. Naruto looked rather angry, and if his war cry was any indication then the cause was more than likely his best friend, Sasuke Uchiha. The two had (affectionate?) nicknames for one another that were well known around campus. The headmaster was a patient man and held the door open long enough for Naruto to attempt to race past him when he caught Naruto by his black sleeveless delinquent collar, causing the teenager to nearly fall backwards onto the marble tiled floor of the shoe-locker hall and toothbrush flinging across the room, soon forgotten.

"If you don't slow down Naruto you'll let the morning pass you straight by," the old headmaster chortled. He did not chastise unnecessarily as he considered himself a man of respect; treat every man, woman, and child like an equal and give them no reason to do any less for you. The policy worked pretty well for him, as almost all the students - even the otherwise troublesome ones like Naruto - were fairly well behaved in his presence.

"But Sarutobi! Teme took the batteries out of my alarm clock last time he was over to put in the Wiimote and then he took the Wiimote home with him so I couldn't get my batteries back and-"

Sarutobi interrupted Naruto by patting the blonde's back while scratching his own liverspotted chin,"No need to be so riled up. You made it just on time, boy. I'll make sure you get a hall pass-"

"Thanks Old Man, you're awe-!"

"- if you can promise me you won't ambush Sasuke today."

"Aww man! …tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow is Sunday, Naruto. It's Iruka's problem then."

"Sweet! It's a deal, believe it!"

"Yes, yes, now that I think of it I believe Kakashi is teaching class B-5 right now...?" Naruto affirmed with a nod. "Then you shouldn't even need a hall pass! Scurry along before he's actually there before you for once."

"...how does he even keep a job here?"

"Good day, Naruto!"

The ancient man began puttering towards the main office then at a decently steady pace. Naruto pouted about his unanswered question but otherwise obeyed and headed for class without changing into school slippers. He knew Sasuke had mopping duty today after school so Naruto would do his buddy a favor by scuffing up the normally pristine marble floors very nicely. No ambushing involved. Naruto grinned evilly. Revenge could be so sweet.

On his way he stopped in a hallway lined by a wall covered in pictures on one side, and a floor-to-ceiling window extending the entire length of the hall on the other. Naruto turned towards a grouping of picture frames surrounded in laminated calligraphy with words like "commitment", "heart", and... well, Naruto still didn't know what the last kanji said; he was almost as horrible in kanji as he was with English. However, he was sure it said something honorable, because all these words and pictures were put up by students to represent their teacher and his late father, Minato Namikaze. A bouquet of now dried chrysanthemums and folded up notebook paper lay on the floor below this makeshift shrine. He was a very respected man, even ten years after his death. It was Naruto's lifelong dream to be honored in this way. Naruto bowed, showing his own respect and completing his daily ritual.

Eventually the troublemaker made it to classroom B-5 on the second floor and sat in his usual place between Hinata Hyuuga (a really quiet, constantly blushing girl that Naruto couldn't seem to figure out) and Shino Aburame (a really quiet, constantly whispering guy that Naruto couldn't seem to figure out). The seating arrangement was purposefully anticlimactic as to discourage Naruto's outbursts. Naruto went through all his classes quietly today for once, thinking about his sister and where she could be right now. It had been a little over a week since he had received her letter, and he knew it took at least a week for airmail to reach him. "Within the month" she had said. Naruto hoped it was sooner than later. Seeing his father's photographs everyday was a painful reminder that Usagi was the only family member Naruto had left.

The sky outside began turning dark by mid-afternoon so when Physical Education rolled around the instructor, Might Guy (a very extravagantly strange man from China who never backed down for a challenge), had decided to have the class play basketball inside. Soon after the rain began to pour. During a water break Sasuke and Sakura (a usually sweet but also hot-tempered mixed girl with strange strawberry blonde hair who had been friends with the two boys since Junior High) approached Naruto and the former handed him a towel. Naruto had calmed down exponentially since this morning thinking of Usagi's well-being, so he casually accepted the towel and began dabbing the sweat off his face.

Sasuke looked as if he had something to say but Chouji Akimichi (a fat boy who never put down food and could barely even open his eyes) came bursting through the outside door, pooling rainwater all over the gym's hardwood floor but bag of cheese puffs still in hand, looking as if he had seen a ghost. "EVERYONE COME LOOK! There's a bunch of tanks parked outside in the soccer fields!" The entire class of about sixty followed after him like a herd of wildebeest. Pushing past everyone until the double doors opened up to the wide outdoor athletic fields, Naruto and Sasuke stopped suddenly at the sight. There had to be at least a dozen tanks already parked and more continued to roll in. Sakura caught up with them and recognized the platinum logo on the turret right away.

"Sasuke... isn't that-?" Sasuke followed Sakura's line of sight and felt like throwing up.

"What the hell is Itachi thinking?!"

"Itachi? What are you talking about, Teme?" Sasuke grabbed the top of Naruto's head and brought their faces closer together so that the other students would not be able to hear their hushed words. "Ow bastard, you're pulling my hair!"

"Look at the turrets, you idiot!" Sasuke hissed. "Those are Uchiha Corp tanks!"

Naruto, head still in Sasuke's hand, turned to look near the top of the tanks. Sure enough, right beside the print of the Japanese flag was an uchiwa fan. During sunny weather it's platinum metal would make the logo noticeable, but in the pouring rain it looked a dull grey that blended in well with the forest green paint of the tank itself. Luckily, it didn't appear that anyone else around them had recognized it yet.

"Holy shit..." Naruto whispered, "Does he know about this? Why...? You don't think...?"

"I don't know, but we're about to find out. Let's go, Naruto. Sakura, you stay here and make up something to tell Guy."

"But, Sasuke-! Hey, where are you two going?"

The two boys ignored her, using the chaos of the growing crowd to easily sneak away and out in the direction of the second highest building on the Konoha skyline.

/

Kisame and Usagi made it to Anchorage in three days; one day to carefully revive Usagi and two days travel with limited rest. Usagi did not tell of how she made her way back to camp, too embarrassed by her hallucination, and thankfully Kisame had not asked. The path had been well marked by the other refugees and Kisame removed the red-tape markers as they went to prevent any undesirables from following. There were very few hours of daylight this time of year in Alaska so the darker hours slowed them down by making the markers harder to find. They had no problems between the two of them but on the second day a jeep of rangers from Fairbanks appeared on the path and attempted to have them arrested. Apparently Goodwin's influence had indeed made it this far north after all. With his huge brawn and combat experience, Kisame easily incapacitated them while Usagi tied them to trees. The rangers' jeep was jacked, making the rest of the trip safe and swift.

Getting into the city itself had been easy since the guards at the checkpoint had been told to possibly expect a "guy from the Blue Man Group and Baby Spice". Usagi was told to check in with the Headquarters at Buttress Park; that's where Jiraiya would be as well. From there she and Kisame went their separate ways, the latter saying he "ain't cut out for babysittin' cliners." Usagi was sad to see the freak go. The quiet journey had provided many chances for conversation in which she had only learned a little about him, but it felt like plenty enough. Kisame was from Brisbane, Australia and had enjoyed deep-sea fishing before joining the Defense Force for adventure. Once assigned to the United States, however, he decided that it was not the kind of adventure he had signed up for and went AWOL shortly after.

Anchorage itself was teeming with people in every possible place. The smell of body odor and waste made Usagi gag but she knew that if it had been spring or summer the smell would be much worse. Smoke from trash can fires smogged the entire city and made breathing even more difficult. Tent cities were pitched in nearly every large parking lot and there was no longer enough room on the roads for cars to drive. Usagi slammed on the horn to force pedestrians out of her way. Shouting random obscenities also proved to be both very stress relieving and effective.

Reaching Buttress Park seemed to take forever. Usagi got lost several times and was forced to asked residents for directions each time. The actual Headquarters was in the Anchorage Grand Hotel across the street. The park itself contained a sort of public forum with a stone stage dead center; several very large tents also took up the length of the park. Usagi entered the once-hotel that now had people bustling about it, shouting into satellite phones and in hot debate over various maps and documents. A militiaman standing just inside the door recognized her immediately and directed her upstairs. Suite 204.

Right away Usagi recognized Jiraiya's deep 'serious-voice' down the hall. It was more common these days than it used to be, unfortunately. Before all this madness Jiraiya was just an everyday sleazeball pervert who drank himself to sleep looking at porn, even though he was entering his seventies soon. Hardly a model or serious guardian at all. His and Usagi's living, in fact, had been made on his literary career... writing smut. Usagi had never been able to figure out why on Earth her responsible father had made Jiraiya her god-father until the old goat began translating The Will of Fire and distributing it in English speaking countries. She discovered shortly after that deep down Jiraiya was actually a wise and insightful individual. Many people respected Jiraiya's efforts, including apparently the people now in charge of overseeing the refugee camp that was Anchorage.

Usagi entered what she assumed was once a conference room. A long table with stools lining all sides took the center and along the walls were all sort of machines and filing cabinets. Sitting at the table with Jiraiya was two other men and a woman. They all looked up at her entrance and the Pervert ran over to Usagi, checking all over for damage.

"Usagi! My god you stupid girl, I thought you wouldn't make it! What happened?"

"Just went pee, you impatient ass." There was no need to tell him what had _really _happened. That would bring up way more questions than answers.

Relief was coming off Jiraiya in waves, but he asked nothing more. The Pervert led Usagi to a stool and sat himself down beside her. "Now that you're safe we need to get back to business. Tomorrow we'll be travelling through a possible war zone in Russia, but first, these are some people I would like you to meet."

Jiraiya introduced them each in turn. First was the man sitting at the head of the table with more metal piercings than face and bright orange spiked hair, Pein. The Pervert said he was the unanimously elected leader and strategist of the Anchorage militia which showed; his body language screamed that of an experienced and logical man. The calm, poised woman to his right was Konan. Her dark hair was worn in a tight bun atop her head adorned with a white rose, and heavy eyeshadow made her lavender eyes pop gorgeously. Konan was in-charge of information gathering and leakage prevention. Lastly was Nagato the mechanic and overseer of all things technical, a sickly looking Oriental man who slacked in his seat and had unusual looking eyes. The pupils were surrounded by several dark rings... Usagi remotely wondered if they were contacts. Handshakes were exchanged as each one was introduced. Konan was the first to speak beyond simple greetings, "We're very pleased to meet one of Minato and Kushina's children. Sorry it could not be under better circumstances, Miss Usagi." A Southern Belle.

"You knew my parents?"

"Believe it or not, you brat," Jiraiya laughed, "I used to be a teacher once." Usagi vocally expressed her disbelief and he continued, "No, really! I taught Political Science at Kyushu University. These three and your parents were all in my advanced classes."

"Why'd you stop that sweet a gig?"

Nagato answered Usagi instead, eyes downcast on the table. His South Korean accent surprised her. "The Dean of Letters didn't approve of Minato's thesis, but Jiraiya refused to make him change it. So he quit. Luckily Minato was able to transfer last minute and still publish his thesis." Jiraiya hummed in affirmation, his eyes glossing over as if he was seeing through the walls into the past, "The Will of Fire. All the other professors thought it was bullshit but he wouldn't give up on it." Usagi nodded vacantly in admiration, "That sure sounds like Dad. Well... what I know of him." The unsurety of her comment must have inspired Pein to add, "If Minato had not written that theory, Usagi, none of us would be fighting Goodwin's regime right now. We would have already lost. We are very fortunate that you and Jiraiya have chosen to carry his torch."

"Back to the matter at hand," Nagato interrupted, "We have almost five-hundred-thousand people - and growing - in abandoned buildings and tents outside this hotel... in a city that was built to house maybe half as many. In Alaska. Approaching WINTER. Things are going smoothly enough for now, but I don't think I can manage to keep the electricity and natural gas going if Goodwin decides to send troops here."

Pein played with a piercing on his neck, seeing all possible events and outcomes and making plans for each ten steps ahead. The trademark of an accomplished strategist. "Yes..." he drawled, "That would be the first thing to secure in an invasion since the people here would surely die off quickly without it in the winter. We have enough militiamen here to hold them off in small waves. But with the oil reserves right off the city coast... Goodwin will definitely want to go out of his way to eliminate us for it." He stopped suddenly, noticing Usagi who looked uncomfortable. She had heard plenty of talk like this around the dinner table and with fans of her father, but this was _real._ Actual lives were at stake. The pressure was too much and the past few weeks were slowly catching up. Usagi was not sure she had the courage currently to continue listening to this discussion. Pein seemed to sense something was wrong and said softly, "Nagato... we can discuss this tomorrow. I would like to speak at length with Jiraiya some more about what occurred at the convention. Would you be kind enough to show Usagi to her room?"

Nagato looked blankly at Usagi as if noticing her there for the first time. Seeing her exhausted expression gave himself strange mixed feelings of pity and annoyance. This was supposed to be one of Minato's children? Shouldn't she be stronger than this? Regardless, he huffed, "Yeah, sure," and stood. Usagi, after quick "goodnights" and mutual "it was an honor meeting you"s, followed Nagato out into the hallway. He silently led her up another floor to a small one-bed suite and turned to leave when Usagi asked him to wait.

"Can I... ask you a favor?" Nagato's only reply was to turn to her and raise an eyebrow. "I know this might be a stupid idea, but... is there any way I can make a phone call around here?"

/

News vans, professional-colored umbrellas, and flashing cameras stretched the entire block, blocking the front entrance to Uchiha Corporation. Reporters were screaming all at once, trying to intimidate the sucker being interviewed to accidentally spill information. Sasuke and Naruto stood on top of a parked Honda Ridgeline to get a better view of the front rotating doors. In front was a unidentified man in a suit with sunglasses, someone Sasuke told Naruto was probably his brother's press manager. Itachi was nowhere in sight. Sasuke decided the best course of action would be to sneak through the back-alleys to the janitor's entrance. The youngest Uchiha happened to have a key from pranks he and his friend had done on Itachi in the past. Now it would serve a serious purpose.

Getting in according to plan had been amazingly easy. Once through the janitor's door they snuck through the supply and locker rooms until they made it to the main elevator shaft, taking it up to the 66th floor. Once the elevator passed the 40th floor, one side became all glass which allowed the passenger to look at the city below. Even though torrents of rain pounded against the glass making vision shoddy, Naruto commented on how the reporters looked like ants from this high... ants that were being surrounded by the flashing lights of police cars. They watched the police ants get out and begin shepherding the reporter ants away from the building until the elevator finally reached floor 66 - Itachi's personal office.

Inside sat Itachi at the left couch, elbows on his knees and head in his hands. The office was only lighted by the white table lamps; the three walls made of glass behind Itachi's desk had turned effectively into a waterfall, preventing any light from the outside. On the coffee table sat Itachi's open cell phone, the tone signifying a long ended call blaring. He looked pale and so, so tired. Itachi did not notice his brother and friend's entrance until Sasuke barked his name. Itachi looked up suddenly then, black eyes wide with surprise, before a mask of monotony overfell him. "Sasuke," he said as if he just met up with the both of them on the street, "Now is really not the time for you two to play up here."

"No one's playing Aniki."

"Yeah! We're real serious about the tanks you put outside your own brother's school."

Itachi's gaze turned stern. "Are the both of you absolutely brain dead? You think I have the power to do this?"

"What else are we supposed to think? We were just playing basketball when tanks with OUR FAMILY'S CREST roll in! How am I supposed to show my face after this, Aniki? What am I supposed to tell people? You already don't involve me with anything..."

"You want to be involved, little brother? Fine, then let me allow you this: I sold those tanks to the President of the United States. I was told their soldiers here in Konoha would take them from our warehouse and store them on base."

"Do you KNOW what's happening over there right now?" Naruto rushed Itachi, grabbing the young man by his suit collar and knocking over the black glass table in the process, "Do you KNOW my sister - and who knows how many others - is running for her LIFE because of that man? And you sold him TANKS? Do you not have a fucking soul?"

Itachi did not dare push Naruto away, not because he was afraid of the younger boy or out of some sort of respect, but because he knew from experience (he had been his little brother's best friend for four years now) the only way to communicate with Naruto was to stare him straight in the eyes and let him _feel_ the words. The blonde was his namesake - a force of nature. Although not particularly bright, Naruto had some strange ability to sense the authenticity in people. Perhaps it was an inherited trait. "You can trust, Naruto, that I did not have a choice."

The caucasian glared back for a long time and must have seen something agreeable in Itachi's own glare, because he began to let go when a cell phone in the room jingled. All three looked at Itachi's phone that had been slung near the desk when the table was thrown over. The flip-phone was lifeless. Both Sasuke and Naruto dropped everything then, comically tearing through their pockets looking for their own phones. Sasuke's wasn't ringing...

"Restricted..." Naruto read aloud as he looked at his outside display. He never got restricted calls. What horrible timing! Sasuke heard Naruto so stood closer to eavesdrop while carefully keeping an eye on Itachi; his older brother meanwhile first straightened his collar before starting to pick up the tossed table. Rushing to open the cover before whoever was on the other end gave up, Naruto sputtered stupidly into the phone, "H-hello? Naruto Uzumaki speaking."

"Hey! Look at your camera, Dummy!"

"Eh?" He did as asked then gasped, "HOLY COW, Usagi! Hey Teme, look! She's okay!" The table suddenly dropped from Itachi's hands and the glass cracked, but the two teenagers either did not notice or care. She was really alive after all? For the second time since retrieving it, the paperback book in Itachi's inside pocket felt like a heavy weight, as if it wanted out, while he felt a weight equally release from his chest. Sasuke had rushed to look over Naruto's shoulder ("Excellent! Duckbutt is there, too!" he heard her voice laugh) and Itachi found himself unintentionally following, looking over the opposite shoulder.

The image on the wide telephone screen struck Itachi in a strange way. He wasn't sure what he had expected exactly, but as he had read the intelligent notes this Usagi had made in her father's book, he would never had imagined someone so... vulnerable looking. She looked less like Naruto than she had in the family photo; now her appearance began to take-on Minato's sharp angles while Naruto's features were rounded like their mother. The pigtails were strange, but they fit somehow. Overall, regardless of the fact that the resolution of Naruto's cheap phone was horrible, Itachi could tell she was relatively cute by everyday standards. No tellable flaws or blemishes, unlike her brother.

"I don't have too much time to chat, but- hey, who's that?"

Usagi pointed outwards and the teenagers followed the direction until they noticed Itachi standing so close for the first time. Sasuke glared at him, snapping, "This is a private conversation, Aniki. Butt out."

"Private? Sasuke, you're in my office."

"Aniki? Sasuke, you ass, you never told me you had a brother!"

"No one wants to mention it right now, Sis. There's a bit of a situation."

"Eh? Am I calling at a bad time?"

"Sorta... look Lieutenant Major Dick Itachi-the-War-Tank Pimp isn't important right now."

"Naruto, I'm not even a soldier...and the rank you assigned me is ridiculous."

"Tanks...? There's tanks there? Among the public?" Usagi's face contorted in horror and Sasuke jumped quickly to rectify the conversation before she got upset. The last thing she needed right now was more to worry about.

"Yeah, but it's not an issue. Where are you? When will you be home?"

"If nothing else goes to shit then I'll be home the day after tomorrow, but I can't tell you where I am right now."

"'Nothing else'?"

"Long story short I was involved in two firefights and then I got lost on a mountain and nearly froze to death. Nothing serious." At the word "firefight" both Naruto and Sasuke glared venomously in Itachi's direction before her continuing voice drew them back to attention. Itachi felt a stab of guilt in his gut but otherwise gave no indication he had heard them. He was well aware of the ills his industry wrought.

"That doesn't sound like 'nothing serious'." Itachi said without having his brain's permission. "You should take better care of yourself. These idiots have been very worried about you."

"Major Dick is right. You better come home safely!"

"Aniki is paying for your party. Don't make us waste money."

"...so I'm paying for it now, too? When did I agree to this?"

"We can make this ugly if you say no."

"A party for me? Itachi is it? Can I be a bitch and ask you a favor?"

"Yes, miss. Anything I can possibly do."

"Jesus! Your English is perfect! You obviously aren't Naruto's tutor then. HAHAHA."

"USAGI."

The petite girl on the other end laughed melodiously, a smooth, sincere sound. She looked less tense now somehow. "Sorry, bro, I'm just having fun. Itachi, I know this is retardedly corny, but if something happens please look after my brother. He's stupid and times are, too. A bad combo."

Itachi smiled almost imperceptibly. He and Usagi were exactly the same beast. Even when her own life was probably in so much more danger, she worried about the safety and future of her loved one above all else. It was exactly Itachi's relationship with Sasuke. Cementing at this very moment, very few people alive held Itachi Uchiha's respect more than the young and brave Usagi Namikaze. "Yes, Naruto certainly gets in enough trouble," Itachi said without hesitation, "but I take care of Sasuke's own. In exchange I suggest being around to show up to your own party."

Usagi got the underlining message, smiling (and blushing...?, damn choppy resolution), "Deal."

She was cut off by a deep South Korean voice that she nodded towards. Looking back at the camera she smiled sadly and said, "My time's up, guys. We'll have to talk about this party when I see you, okay? It was nice meeting you Major Dic- errr... Itachi."

Genuinely, "Likewise. Remember our contract. It will be Friday." Itachi threw the word 'contract' out casually to chance her reaction and received a strange, pleasantly surprised grin in return.

"Right! Bye Duckass! Naruto, I love you!"

"You, too, Usagi."

And the connection was cut.

Immediately, the attack on Itachi resumed, but taking a completely different direction than before.

"This is the part where you tell us what the hell _that _was all about."

"What _what_ was about, Naruto?"

"You've been acting weird this whole month, Aniki, ever since I told you we needed the house. You knew her somehow, which is even weirder. Then just a second ago you were all-"

"You rolled over like a fucking puppy wanting his tummy rubbed when she asked you for a _favor_." Naruto growled protectively.

Itachi would have died of embarrassment were he a lesser hearted man. Was his admiration so obvious? There was no way he could explain such a thing to them, but they had gotten a completely wrong idea. "It was nothing. I was just being chivalrous."

"Right. For some reason I believe you when you say this tank jazz isn't your fault, but just... stay away from her." Naruto made a gesture using his peace-sign fingers to point at his own eyes, then pointing them the same way at Itachi's before backing towards the elevator, Sasuke close at his heels. Itachi caught a snippet of their conversation before the elevator doors blocked their voices and figures from him completely.

"You _believe_ him? Are you INSANE?"

"Hey, I was right about the Gaara thing, wasn't I?"

"Gaara isn't Itachi."

The eldest Uchiha brother was saddened by how little faith he earned from the younger, but it mattered not what Sasuke actually thought of him as long as his treasured little brother remained safe from Madara's all-consuming appetite for destruction. Itachi sat back on the left couch now and allowed his whole body to go limp, head rolling over the backrest lazily.

He had known something like this would happen the second his secretary told him the news, but he could not manage to steel himself enough for the backlash. While he himself was personally responsible for this in part, he had just found out that his uncle was more directly to blame. From what Madara had just told Itachi over his cell phone earlier, the older man had just bought majority shares of the private Konoha Senior High School, becoming Chair. Madara had given Fort Leatherwood permission to use the school grounds as temporary storage, but to what end? Itachi had dropped the phone in distress without hanging up after the call had ended.

"The State is, by definition, the monopoly of violence and force. Contracts made by the State on behalf of its people are enforced by involuntary force, therefore making the design of the State incompatible with a voluntary society. Those who knowingly supply the tools of the State... are equally responsible for whatever violent product comes out of the State." Itachi quoted The Will of Fire aloud to-the-letter to no one but himself and the rain still pouring outside. This line in particular stabbed at Itachi's conscious. Naruto's statement had matched Minato's exactly. Itachi knew what Goodwin would probably do with those weapons, but he still went through with the transaction. If he had any fiber of character in his being he would have refused outright. The consequences Madara would bring could be dealt with later. Perhaps he truly had no soul after all. If that were true then this lingering contempt for himself would not be; life would not be so painful. Itachi was simply nothing but a coward.

Itachi's desk phone rang shrilly, then, breaking up his internal berating. At first he simply turned his head to look at the blasted machine. When he was finally fed up with it's unending screaming he got up from the couch and reached for the phone but ran his hand over his face in exhaustion before answering it.

Having regrets of the past would have to wait until later. For now, Itachi would have to simply get back to business.

/

While there have not been any reviews yet, the 50+ views I've gained so far is really encouraging. If you're enjoying my story I hope you continue to enjoy. If not, reviews are for correcting my horrible imagination. Also, if you find any plot inconsistencies or incorrect information on a particular subject let me know! It is very important to me to make this story as believable as possible (with my limited writing abilities haha).

The next four chapters are already planned out, but if you have any ideas for what should happen I would love to hear them! Co-writing used to be a big hobby of mine. You don't have to review, I enjoy Private Messages just as much.

Next chapter Usagi and Jiraiya have a (hint) BLAST in Russia, so say a (hint) PRAYER for them. Will they make it home? Also, Madara makes his first actual appearance and reveals a very important plot piece to Itachi. Don't miss it!


	4. Iron Sights

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

/

The majestic beauty of Alaska was left behind the next morning. The CH-47D Chinook passenger helicopter left the hospital helipad just as the sun peaked over the mountains on the horizon, snow and sea glistening gold against a backdrop of gray clouds. Below them droves of people were beginning to flood the tent cities all at once, eager to take advantage of Anchorage's scarce Autumn daylight. The helicopter gained altitude until the tents blended in with the surrounding snow, the Chinook then lurching towards the west along Alaska's rocky coast. Soon the mountains faded away and nothing was left but the ocean.

Usagi, strapped in tightly by her shoulders, did her best to take in a deep breath and not look out one of the portholes. She hated flying over the ocean. Every flight she ever took ended up with her either switching seats with someone on the aisle, or in the bathroom up-chucking the in-flight peanuts. The Chinook had only one aisle down it's entire length that sat fifteen people and no restroom to speak of. Whenever a rough bout of turbulence hit the helicopter Usagi held a hand to her mouth to prevent the worst. 'Think of something else,' she thought, 'anything else!"

The conversation with Naruto the night before! A smile found its way past her hand covering. Her twin seemed to be doing so well: he was happy and healthy and - for the moment - safe. Now there could possibly be tanks roaming the streets where her brother lived! Usagi almost threw up again. There had always been tanks _nearby_ since Konoha was right by a military base, but were only brought off fort for parades or when the 2011 tsunami hit Japan. Bringing tanks into public traffic happened in the United States right before identification papers were increasingly required for everyday purchases. This... nightmare didn't happen all at once. There had been a domino effect of events with plenty of warning, but unfortunately not enough people had been willing to look at the signs, labelling them as "crazy conspiracy theories". They had put too much faith in their failing republic.

Nagato had been listening carefully to their televideo conversation in case Usagi leaked vital information or the line tapped. The call itself had went smoothly, but afterward Usagi looked Nagato directly in his ringed-eyes and demanded, "Teach me how to fuck up tanks." He looked apprehensive, but nodded in reluctant agreement. "If we expect you to help us someday then we might as well give you some skills to use." The two spent the entire night in one of the park's large tents that turned out to be a makeshift repair shop, Nagato using a nearly irreparable M2 Bradley to demonstrate basic techniques used to destroy and drive a tank. By the time Usagi met Jiraiya for breakfast that morning she felt completely confident in her new ability thanks to Nagato's rigorous but effective instruction.

Something else bothered Usagi about the aforementioned long-distance call. Usagi had been told that Sasuke had lost his entire family at a young age, but now he supposedly had an older brother? She could only assume he was never mentioned because the brothers were on poor terms. That much had been evident. What was his name, again...? Anyway... What's-his-face was ridiculously attractive, speaking objectively, of course. He had also been overly polite, charming, and courteous for Usagi's tastes, but she hadn't sensed any ulterior motive or malintent. Maybe she just was looking for anyone to trust in these hard times but... when he had said the word "contract" with so much meaning... it was so familiar that she felt she could trust this older brother.

For some reason thinking of Sasuke's brother reminded her of Alec, even though the two men were completely different in every way other than perhaps age. Usagi had not been in love with Alec, but he was a cherished friend. Now she was sure he had been detained or worse... and it hurt more than she would have thought.

Usagi leaned the back of her head against the vibrating metal frame of the helicopter and released a long, silent sigh, willing herself not to cry.

The trip across the North Pacific had been entirely uneventful. They made it to the Kamchatka peninsula in only a few hours, but for some unknown reason circled it another hour before landing. The arms man flying the Chinook communicated with someone in Russian over the radio, but no one onboard knew what about until he shouted over the sound of the blades. "THE STRONGHOLD IS UNDER ATTACK. WE HAVE ONLY FIFTEEN MINUTES TO REFUEL AND PICK UP THE OTHER TWO PASSENGERS. ANYONE ARMED SHOULD SURROUND THE HELICOPTER AND WAIT FOR MY SIGNAL TO REBOARD. IF YOU SEE TWO MEN WITH BLUE HEADBANDS, DON'T SHOOT! LET THEM IN!" He began to descend the craft then and the sound of shells exploding began to rise over that of the blades.

Usagi pulled her assault rifle closer and slammed her eyes shut, wishing she could be one of those without a weapon. Jiraiya, who had been sitting directly across the aisle from her the entire flight, undid his belts and leaned towards her. Usagi couldn't hear what he was telling her, but she could read his lips well enough. "Give me your gun." Oh, how she longed to throw it at him! Let it be someone else's problem! Usagi thought of the conversation with Jiraiya's former students; how disappointed Nagato had looked when she wanted out. Would she duck away if one of those tanks pointed its barrell at her brother? Usagi looked blankly at Jiraiya as she undid her belts, looking as if she was going to hand the AR-15 over, when everyone could feel the helicopter touchdown on a flat surface... She bolted out the hatch opening in the back with the other armed people, joint warcry loud and determined.

Usagi refused to be a coward anymore. She would live up to the memory of Minato and Kushina, sacrifice just as much and be just as brave. She would not cry, she would not hide. She was Usagi Namikaze, and it was about damn time she began behaving that way.

/

Saturday's rain had turned into morning flurries on Sunday. The snow was not yet sticking on the hills of Konoha, but the air was densely filled with the fog made of pedestrians' breathing and car exhaust. The streets were less crowded in Konoha on Sunday mornings, as many of the foreign-born residents attended Christian church services, but there were still enough people out and about that shops and businesses stayed open.

There was a small kendo dojo Itachi had attended ever since he was a small child, when his father was still alive and had insisted that the Uchiha family maintain a traditional community image. Although Itachi had despised the harsh discipline as a child, he stuck with the dojo even after his parents' passing and participated in workouts every Sunday morning. It was the only form of relaxation and normality he could afford in his mostly secret life. Especially after yesterday's catastrophe...

This Sunday morning the group had agreed to work on cardio and were jogging through the less crowded streets in their uniform black tracksuits and white sneakers. Passers-by thought the group odd, but the dojo master insisted on conformity at all times. For Itachi who was raised in a traditionally conservative Japanese household, it was a rather familiar but - in recent days - increasingly bothersome virtue .

Itachi, doing his best to mind his own business and enjoy his workout regardless, was highly annoyed when someone to his left matched his pace. Immediate without looking he knew who the person was and tried his best to politely ignore them but to no avail. He should have taken Izumo's challenge to race earlier...

"Itachi~! Sweetie, your face looks so icky! If you don't smile more often your face will wrinkle, you know!" That had to be the whiniest, most infuriating voice in existence. Itachi tried to shut it out but to his misfortune it continued, "Hey, I know what you should do. GROUP DATE~! Eight of us are going to a concert and then out to eat! Izumo agreed -"

Subtly, Itachi increased his pace, hoping to outrun the banshee. "Somehow that makes this less appealing, which I didn't think was possible."

"Oh, c'mon my weasle-goose!" They increased in pace easily to keep up, damn them. Couldn't they take a hint? Or flat-out rejection for that matter? "You should get out and live a little. Forget all those worries."

Hisame Mizukawa was an extremely persistent, annoying, and brainless woman. Every week was the same: she would ask him out, he would reject her. It started when he was sixteen, she being two years his senior. Now Itachi was twenty-one and still not interested. She wasn't unattractive. An ethnic born Japanese woman with short brunette hair and flawless body, Hisame would be an A-class catch for most men, but she possessed nothing substantial for Itachi. Hisame thought deeply about nothing and her solution to every problem was to drown it out with a good time. Itachi had not been interested in romance in a long time, but he thought his ideal partner would be... how to describe someone that probably didn't exist...?

Someone who was able to discuss the newspaper with him in the mornings and not agree with everything he thought. Someone who looked in a mirror so little that they were surprised by their own reflection. Someone who would cry and scream during a horror movie but couldn't stop watching until the ending credits. A passionate, brave, ambitious, free-thinking soul who was determined to face their demons and win! Someone... that could give him the courage to do the same.

Hisame Mizukawa was definitely not that someone.

Itachi was preparing to reject Hisame's offer again when the phone in his pocket began vibrating. What excellent timing! Anyone would be better to speak to right now than Hisame! Itachi opened his phone quickly and answered a smooth but loud, "Uchiha Itachi. Speak."

"Hello, nephew. Might you have time for a chat?"

...except Madara Uchiha. Itachi would much rather endure the annoying lovesick woman over the evil, murderous old man. Unfortunately, there was no way Itachi could get out of any conversation with his uncle, so he closed his eyes and took a deep, silent breath before answering, "Uncle! Of course. Might I call you back after Kendo? I would be happy to speak to you then." Lies, obviously, but it was best to stay on Madara's good side.

"No, actually, I was hoping you would grace me with your presence. Meet me in your office."

"When?"

"Now."

/

"NOW!"

Gunshots were immediately heard over the still spinning blades of the helicopter, currently parked on an unknown building's helipad. Burning buildings surrounded them on all sides, the black smoke making visibility up-wind nearly impossible. A white man in a tattered Russian rebel uniform rushed past Usagi and began hooking a hose to the inside of a panel she had just helped pull off the side of the helicopter. A Japanese man in front of her dropped to his knees from being shot. She went to help him up but he yelled at her to fire back before she herself was shot, and so she obeyed, lining up her iron sights on the smokey figure of a Russian soldier on the top of the adjacent building. Usagi took a deep breath and pulled the trigger.

Usagi missed the soldier, but just barely, managing to get him to duck in shock. "MAN DOWN," she shouted, and Jiraiya and another man poked out long enough to pull the shot Japanese man into the Chinook. Thankfully, there was a medic on board. Then the youngest at arms sprinted to a row of barrels for cover when suddenly the building began to shake violently beneath them and the building she had just shot at moments before literally collapsed to the ground, exploding floor by floor from the top, down. The blast flung Usagi back against the stairwell entrance; her head was spinning and her ears ringing.

Before a coherent thought could even be made to get up and start running back to the Chinook, Usagi felt herself being flung over something solid. The motion was further disorientating, if that were possible. Slowly, after loud laughter and rough bouncing, Usagi's ears stopped ringing and she was able to make out English words in Russian accent, "-lut's gonna fuckin' get us killed, kid!"

"Stop worrying so much, yeah! This party is pretty much over anyway." Scandinavian? Dutch? The accent was too subtle to tell.

Eventually Usagi could bear to open her eyes without feeling dizzy, finding that she was thrown over someone's shoulder back inside the helicopter. Another pair of hands were grabbing her waist and hoisting her down onto a seat. Usagi found Jiraiya looming over her, with two men in blue headbands strapping into seats behind him. So they had managed to pick up their passenger's after all? A plus. The two were both caucasian; the feminine one with a metal eye-scope and blonde hair longer than her own saw her staring and winked at her. Probably a man, after all, around her own tender age. The other was shirtless - definitely a man - and covered in blood everywhere, but he did not appear to be wounded at all. Snow-white hair poked through patches of blood, but he barely looked to be in his early thirties. The man appeared busy praying, not paying her any attention at all. When Jiraiya began tapping Usagi's face she turned her own attention back to him.

"Usagi! You with us? You need medical attention, girl?"

"No," she croaked. Her head throbbed and body ached horribly but otherwise nothing felt out of place. Leave the only available medic for those who actually needed it. "How're the others, Pervert?" Usagi could feel the Chinook lifting off the building top then and noticed all the empty seats that had been filled before they refueled. It was a question she now regretted asking.

Solemnly, Jiraiya buckled her shoulder belts together for her, then sat to her right and did the same for himself. He waited another few moments for the helicopter to begin drifting in a forward direction before answering, "You were lucky, Usagi. There were a lot of people blown off the roof in that explosion."

Across the aisle the white-haired man barked, "Be grateful you whore. If this prick here, Deidara, had not picked your lazy ass up on the way we would have left without you. Like we fuckin' should have." It was the Russian voice from before. Roughly, he elbowed the girly boy beside him in the head who glared back. Deidara must have been the north European voice she couldn't distinguish. It was still difficult. "She survived my masterpiece, Hidan! I say that's a pretty good reason to keep her alive, yeah."

"Jashin says otherwise. Weaklings gotta go."

"No one takes your god seriously, you schizo!"

"Godless HEATHEN!"

"QUIET THE HELL DOWN BACK THERE. PEOPLE ARE GRIEVING AND I AM TRYING NOT TO BE SHOT AT."

The two Europeans continued to yell at each other regardless, but Usagi had stopped listening to the argument long ago. She watched the other refugees one by one. Some were in prayer, others openly weeping. Suddenly she felt _too _lucky. Jiraiya was still with her, and she could go home to her brother without reporting any unnecessary loss. These people were not so fortunate. Selfishly, however, Usagi could not convince herself to feel regret for not having to share in their suffering. She reached over and grabbed her foster-father's large hand in a rare gesture, giving him a watery smile.

Now they were two hours away from landing in Japan, and on the inside Usagi could hardly be happier that this madness was almost behind them.

/

Madara Uchiha was a very tall Japanese man who had never cut his shaggy black hair in all the years he had lived, but still managed to appear dignified. The hair concealed his aging, certainly. He was never seen wearing anything other than the finest casual suits and his posture was flawless. No matter his expression, his eyes were always piercing and seemingly all-seeing. Overall the eldest living Uchiha was an intimidating figure. One that even the dumbest of men knew to avoid because it could mean their life.

Madara had already been waiting when Itachi arrived at his office, sitting on his desk, one leg hanging down and the other crossed over lazily. To anyone else it would appear for all the world that this office actually belonged to the aging man instead of the younger one; in a sick way they would probably be correct. Madara stood up purposefully from the desk upon Itachi's entrance, opening his arms wide like a politician might at a state address. Like a cobra opening its hood to intimidate its prey. A snake.

"Itachi! You came so quickly I nearly forgot that I called you!" Sickeningly fake pleasantries. Itachi hated them.

"It sounded urgent, uncle. I came to see what you needed of me." Translation: _What part of my humanity will I have to sacrifice this time?_

"You've always been such an obedient boy..." Madara glided to the left couch and perched daintily upon it - crossing his legs again - before gesturing toward the right couch, "I will not waste anymore of your precious time, so please... take a seat." The sooner Itachi got this unwanted meeting concluded, the better, so he took a ginger seat on the couch arm. "I want to reward you for your wonderful work in handling that awful business yesterday with the school. The press has already seemed to forgotten it's happened!"

"You give yourself too little credit, uncle." _You own the news networks. You did that._

"Hmmm... perhaps you're right, but I'll reward you anyway." Madara looked off at the ceiling as he spoke, spinning his carefully worded lies, "Did you know that the United States is experiencing a massive terrorist revolt right now? I'm sure the President mentioned it during your visit. It is quite unfortunate for someone so benevolent as he, but he does seem to be handling the situation well, does he not?"

"Goodwin is very confident in his country's ability to overcome such an obstacle, yes." _Goodwin isn't worried about a revolt because there never was one._ Itachi remembered how Goodwin had completely disregarded Minato's book as trash. He was confident that he wouldn't receive a backlash from Minato's followers because of their very nature - they weren't violent aggressors at all. Underestimating them would be the President's greatest blunder if Itachi could help it. The faux-CEO just did not yet know what he could do...

"Turns out he is not the only leader dealing with this... particular terrorist sect. Tell me, have you ever heard of an intellectual piece called The Will of Fire, Itachi?"

Itachi's heart skipped a beat but he forced his face to stay completely emotionless. The inside pocket of the peacoat Itachi wore over his tracksuit gained that now familiar weighted feeling. Things were approaching dangerous waters very quickly. "I believe I have heard of it in passing. It is very popular among my age group these days." _I'm lying like a dog and I pray to whatever god is listening that you don't notice._ Itachi's prayers seemed to work as Madara gave no indication that he disbelieved Itachi's answer.

"It is, indeed! So much, in fact, that it's teachings have inspired organized terrorist attacks in several other countries, as well. Fortunately, most of them like the United Kingdom and South Africa have managed to... eliminate the issue. Unfortunately, there are more that need our... assistance in solving this grave matter than those that do not."

"What can we do to help, Uncle?" _What the hell are you going to make me do to these poor people, now?_

Madara uncrossed his legs and recrossed them in the opposite fashion, sitting his laced fingers atop his knee. Itachi knew this gesture. This was the gesture that was made when Madara would tell Itachi what the conversation was _really _about. "A certain family in Europe has made a generous personal 'donation' us, if you will, in exchange that we help them with their problem. You see... the man that wrote The Will of Fire - I think you remember him, actually, your father's... acquaintance - he personally founded nine of the biggest terrorist organizations in the world. Our kind donors are concerned that these organizations might actually have the means to undo our progress. Mr. Namikaze was no fool man, though. Even in death he has managed to hide any vital information from the public's eyes."

"May I chance that this information would help us in eliminating the... terrorists?" The word felt vile and wrong on Itachi's tongue. "How would we go about finding something so elusive?"

"You may chance and be correct, my boy! Our insider has long since been unable to retain contact with some of these dangerous peoples, but before he disbanded he gave us some valuable information. Mr. Namikaze had complete information on each organization stored away ingeniously..." Madara pulled his hands apart, reached into a pocket of his black slacks, then tossed a tiny glistening object on the table. Itachi leaned forward slightly to observe the object. It was an RFID chip no bigger than a grain of rice. Uchiha Corp. produced them in limited numbers. "... in these. There are nine total in the world - one for each terrorist organization founded by Mr. Namikaze - all stored inside key individuals."

"People?"

"Yes, and as you can see we have already located one. This chip was obtained from a woman named Ni'i Yugito, in Russia. With the information it provided the Prime Minister of Russia was able to launch an ambush against terrorists hiding on the Kamchatka peninsula. Actually... I believe that is occurring as we speak."

"How might I identify one of these vessels if I happen across them?" _How do I find out who to protect from your disgusting reach?_

"Such dedication! I'm proud of you, Itachi. It's extremely unlikely, as Mr. Namikaze was very careful not to place a chip near his home, but if you do happen to find a chip, the person can be identified by a particular style of tattoo. Our source said they vary, but they all involve fire and kanji in some way."

If Itachi had believed in any sort of god before, he certainly did not now. His stomach twisted at an impossible angle and he fought back a cry of anguish. The only people capable of reversing all this were now being hunted like foxes for their pelts... and Itachi would be forced to play an instrumental part in their demise. As he sat here in this very office a massacre was taking place right across the Japanese Sea and there was nothing he could do to help the unsuspecting victims. When Itachi did not answer Madara frowned pitifully.

"All of this good news must be very overwhelming for you, dear nephew."

"Yes," Itachi managed to push onward and find his voice, "Yes, I'm sorry. I'm overjoyed." _I'm terrified._

"I knew you would be," the evil man was smiling sadistically now, "That's why I took the liberty of volunteering Uchiha Corp. to provide the tools for the job! The donation we received will cover the manufacturing costs and all overhead expenses, of coarse. The issue of taxes has also been eliminated across the board. All you have to worry about is keeping your employees motivated and Uchiha Corporation's reputation golden!" Madara rose from the couch in a lively manner then, replacing the RFID chip back into his pocket, and gliding effortlessly toward the elevator doors. When he reached them, he looked back at Itachi with a threatening glower yet purred, "Do tell Sasuke I said 'hello'. We don't get to see enough of one another, after all."

Translation: _Continue doing as I tell you, Itachi, and I won't have to greet Sasuke personally._

With the concealed threat made, Madara stepped backwards into the elevator and when the doors sealed shut was out of sight.

This time, however, the threat felt empty in comparison to the nightmare emerging over the horizon. With the information Itachi had just been given he could no longer ignore his conscience. It was time that he did something about all this, no matter how small his contribution could be or how great the sacrifice, but he would try his damnedest to prevent his most precious loved one from being that sacrifice. Itachi had always been labelled a genius. Time to use it. As the pieces of this puzzle were revealed to him, he was simultaneously forming a plan. It was insane and far too risky, but he was sure it would work. For this plan to work, however, he knew he would need some very particular help, but that was coming.

All Itachi had to do was wait until they showed up by Friday.

/

Three reviews are wonderful! Although... I'm not quite sure what one of them is all about but I'll take it as a compliment.

This chapter was difficult to write partly due to personal life and partly due to the fighting scene. I wanted Hidan and Deidara's entrance to be so more dramatic, but the more I thought about it the more I realized I didn't put hardly anything into the other Akatsuki members, either. That, my dears, will come later.

Lots of plot twists ahead! Next chapter Jiraiya and Usagi make it home! What will be waiting for them? Also, Itachi and Usagi will have their first real conversation. Will Itachi's return of Usagi's book go smoothly?


	5. Sympathizer

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Warning: This chapter is long and has a lot of dialogue. Important dialogue.

/

Snow flurried peacefully about the Umino/Uzumaki home that sat atop the hill. Not a car drove by or a pedestrian in passing. The sun was just finally getting over the mountains to the west, causing stars in the deep purple twilight sky to twinkle prematurely in between the heavy snow clouds. Iruka Umino found these quiet autumn nights to be soothing, relaxing, and-

"I summon-!"

"Whoa, no way Dogboy, that's an illegal move!"

"This is a video game, Naruto, it won't let us make illegal moves. You just suck."

"Hold on guys, someone's phone is ringing. So troublesome..."

"DON'T CHEAT KIBA. I'm watching you..."

"For the last time, Dobe! NO ONE can cheat!"

"Chouji, is that your phone?"

"No... I think it's the house phone."

"LANDLINE PHONES STILL EXIST?"

Iruka, trying to read a book at his kitchen table, rubbed his face anxiously for the umptenth time that day. _Normally_ days like this would be perfect to read or perhaps catch up on work. _Normally_ Iruka's foster-son didn't invite all his friends over at once, parking in the living room to play video games and eat him out of home. The boys were obnoxious individually, but together the teacher thought his house would come crashing down. Saturday nights were usually reserved for Naruto to stay over at a friend's, finally coming home late Sunday night.

Last night around this same time Naruto and Sasuke had stomped into the house soaking wet and in the foulest of moods. Iruka asked if they would be heading back to Sasuke's place and received a nasty 'no' from Sasuke before Naruto's bedroom door was slammed shut for the night. There they stayed until the next morning, when he found them flicking a paper ball back-and-forth across the coffee table, the very image of boredom and depression. "Why don't you two meet up with your other friends?" Iruka had helpfully suggested. Now he regretted being so helpful because all the boys met up IN HIS HOUSE. For the ENTIRE day.

_Normally_ Iruka kept his house spotless. Everything had a place. No stains, no cracks, no piles. The furniture was all in neutral, calming tones with modern but average shape. Decoration was meant to be charming yet not distracting. A simple place for a simple man. Unfortunately, his adopted son was not so simple and his friends not so clean. Iruka dared not look at the ground-zero he knew would be his living room.

Reluctantly, Iruka rose from the kitchen table, dragging his fuzzy-slippered feet across the tiled floor to the landline phone hanging beside the refrigerator. His head 'thunked' against the floral printed wallpaper and he picked up the phone with lifeless greeting, "Helloooo?"

"Umino Iruka? This is the United States consulate in Fukuoka. Do you have a moment? There are some things we would like to confirm with you."

Iruka stood straight as a board. This was unexpected. "Yes, of course. What can I do for you?"

"Well-"

"UMINO, HAVE YOU SEEN AKAMARU?"

"NO, INUZUKA, I AM ON THE TELEPHONE." How the hell do you lose a 90 kilo dog? Iruka pressed his left hand to his free ear to block out whatever Kiba said next, if anything. "I'm sorry, sir. My son has friends over today. Please go on."

"Yes, we have two people here seeking to transfer residency to Japan from the United States of America. Your address specifically. Are you expecting anyone?"

Iruka opened his mouth to answer 'You must be mistaken' when he could hear the living room line pick up and a voice mimic his own, "Yes, sir." Was this a prank?

"Ah, I see. There were many refugees... brought here. Our Congress has recently passed a bill stating anyone changing residency from the United States must be on record and vouched for by a third party. Answering a few basic questions would help us confirm their identities."

Iruka stretched the curly cord, phone still to his ear, to the archway connecting the kitchen to the living room. All the boys were sitting quietly now and watching Sasuke in confusion much like Iruka was doing, except Naruto who had his face pressed against the other side of the living room phone. The caucasian boy turned his face partially to Iruka, pressing his index finger to his lips in a silencing gesture. The only adult said nothing, letting Sasuke continue. Might as well not make a scene until he knew the outcome.

"Please ask anything you need."

"Alright, thank you . Please identify their official nationalities and country of origin, if any."

"Both Japanese citizens. One was born in Konoha. The other is naturalized, previously from Canada."

"Sex, date of birth, and race? In that order please."

"Female, Male. October 10, 20XX, and November 11, 19XX. Both Caucasian."

"Where was their previous residence in the United States?"

"Charlotte, North Carolina."

"Please describe their original reason for leaving the nation of Japan."

"The old man's writing career. He's her legal guardian They're returning so that he can open to the Japanese market."

There was a typing sound momentarily.

"It appears all the information matches their records. Thank you very much for your time. You will need to come to Fukuoka some time tomorrow to confirm your own identity and sign the residency papers. We can release them at that time. They are very lucky to have someone at home vouch for them. There are others here not so fortunate."

"We are looking forward to having them home again. I will be there tomorrow."

"Have a nice night then, ."

The line went dead then. Sasuke softly put the phone back on its receiver as Naruto - grinning wildly - patted him on the back.

"Way to go, dude! How did you know all that stuff, anyway?"

"Dobe, I read Usagi's letters, too, remember? She's told us all that stuff."

"What's going on guys? Who's Usagi?" Chouji innocently interjected.

"Must be Sasuke's girlfriend~!" Kiba snickered, "Creepy that he knows all her information, though... What's her bra size?"

"Idiot!" Sasuke sputtered, kicking a throw-pillow at Kiba to hide his blush, "She's Naruto's sister!"

Naruto nodded with vigor, "Yeah that's gross, dude! I could never let her date one of you perverts." His face became dark, teeth flashing, "Especially Sasuke."

"Dobe! What are you trying to say?"

"Naruto has a SISTER?"

"I just know how you are with girls."

Iruka returned the kitchen phone to its receiver and walked back into the living room to turn off the television while the boys were distracted. "Boys," Iruka interrupted. The one word was said as if he were talking to his class at the school. Stern and final. They all stopped - deers caught in the headlight - feeling as if they were, indeed, in class. Instantly defeated and tamed. "I think it's about time you all headed home. Tomorrow is a school day." Quietly they gathered the video games and playing cards and dog they had brought with them, then shuffled out the door. Only Naruto and Sasuke were left with an Iruka pointing to the door. "You, too, Sasuke. Unless you want to explain to me what you just did. Otherwise, I think this is a family matter."

Sasuke purposely directed his vision anywhere but Iruka. Naruto elbowed his friend in the side, "I think he's talking to you, bro."

"You should tell him. She's your sister."

"Boys! Do you know what you just did? You committed fraud! If they had caught you... you're old enough to be arrested now!"

"They won't catch us," Sasuke held gazes with Iruka steadily then. His shoulders were squared and back straight, even with his hands remaining in his pockets. A stance that screamed challenge. "Because you are going to Fukuoka tomorrow to sign for them."

Iruka would never admit it, but he was intimidated by this Sasuke. However, as a high school teacher of twelve years he knew better than to show any obstinate student fear. Even his godson's best friend. The boys got into a lot of trouble at school together, but they certainly weren't criminals. Iruka would give them fair chance to explain themselves. "Them, _who_? I'm not doing anything for anyone until you two tell me what's going on."

"Dobe, I can't believe you thought it was a good idea not to tell him."

"Heh... well, you see, Iruka, Usagi sent me a another letter a few weeks back..."

Iruka took a seat in his special recliner. The living room was in worse shape than he had expected. There was white dog hair all over... It was going to be a long night.

/

The United States consulate was a miniature version of its homeland. American soldiers were positioned around every corner, even the kitchens. Cameras, likewise, watched visitors and workers every move from corners and walls. No one could enter the gates or visit the ironically beautifully kept yards unless escorted by a soldier posted there. Meals were served in the spare guest rooms, which were all overfilled with people, many of which were strangers.

The guest rooms were all furnished with two twin beds, a writing desk, and a television, and connected to another guest room via joint bathroom. Unbefitting lovely paintings of the American countryside and colonial era trinkets decorated the rooms. Beds were dressed in handmade quilts and some in Americana loom-spun throws. The overall appearance was that of a quaint bed-and-breakfast, but the atmosphere was stifling. The television against the far wall was turned up to full volume, attractive Japanese newscaster projecting her teleprompted lines.

"PRIME MINISTER KAIHA HAS REPORTEDLY BEEN FOUND DEAD INSIDE HIS TOKYO HOME THIS MORNING. CAUSE OF DEATH IS SUSPECTED TO BE SUICIDE. KAIHA IS THE FOURTH PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN TO COMMIT SUICIDE IN THREE YEARS. EMERGENCY ELECTIONS TO REPLACE KAIHA ARE CURRENTLY BEING ARRANGED BY THE NATIONAL DIET, EXPECTED TO OCCUR SOMETIME NEXT MONTH. AS OF TODAY THERE ARE ONLY TWO CANDIDATES NOMINATED FOR ELECTION: HONDA YUKIO AND UCHIHA MADARA. MORE ON THIS STORY TONIGHT."

Uchiha? Why did that name sound so familiar...?

Even though the news was morbid, the five children Usagi had been forced to bunk with the night before continued to play loudly. They hopped from one twin bed to the other and sang their favorite cartoon songs and begged Usagi to give them piggy-back rides. The sixteen-year old couldn't blame them for being bored. One child had been stuck in the consulate for three weeks already waiting for her parents' paperwork to check out. Regardless of how much sympathy Usagi held for them, she couldn't help but tuck her knees under her chin, back against the headboard, and wish the children would just go away. The vibrant life possessed by the children seemed so foreign to her now.

The night before had been a bureaucratic hell. The Chinook - after avoiding Japanese air patrol - landed in the Hokkaido countryside around three o'clock in the afternoon. There the passengers immediately dug a hole and dumped all their weapons, according to plan. In Sapporo a team of Japanese soldiers took them into custody. Passports were examined, lies were told, and the group split up by supposed country of origin. All possessions had been confiscated and never returned. Only Jiraiya had managed to keep some items hidden on his person by being generally perverted. No one really wanted to touch him.

By seven o'clock many had been taken to the United States consulate nearest their destination for "processing", according to the newest procedures laid out for international migration. The Fukuoka consulate would not allow anyone to make their own phone calls, instead investigating everything themselves. Jiraiya took a shot in the dark on Iruka, hoping he would catch on to the situation, and had been pleasantly surprised to hear their release papers were being processed shortly thereafter.

It was now almost noon of Monday, and Usagi and Jiraiya were very impatiently playing the waiting game.

The bathroom door to her left slammed open revealing Jiraiya. Completely ignoring the children now running circles under his feet, he pointed to the television. "I'm glad you're watching the news because we might be running straight into the lion's den."

Usagi really did not want to be having a conversation like this right now. Not when she was so close to being home and having a safe night's sleep. Usagi reached for the television remote and muted the volume. Her irritation showed as she sighed, "Why? Is the Prime Minister's ghost going to send us back?"

"Ghost!" The children all shouted in terror and ran to join the elders Jiraiya had been roomed with on the other side of the bathroom. Jiraiya closed and locked the door behind the children and pulled the desk chair up to the bedside, taking a seat.

"This is serious, girl. An Uchiha is running for office. You do know about the Uchiha family, right?"

"No, but I'm sure you're about to tell me all about them."

Jiraiya pulled at Usagi's ear. She protested loudly, clawing at his hand, but he managed to keep a hold of her. "Brat, haven't I taught you anything? The Uchiha family owns the world's largest arms company, right after Blackwater. Uchiha Corporation has been supplying arms to the United States military since Vietnam! Their corporate headquarters is in Konoha!"

The petite blonde was finally able to slap her foster-father's hand away and snapped, "If you knew this then what the fuck was the point in even running here? Just so we can watch our home be destroyed again?"

Jiraiya leaned back in his chair then, arms crossing, a strangely stern look on his wrinkled face. This was face Jiraiya occasionally made when he assumed the role of reprimanding mature adult. It was enough to make her feel ashamed and like a petulant child. The entire world was falling apart for everyone. Not many had the opportunity to do something about it like Usagi. Jiraiya waited until he could see the apology in her blue eyes before speaking. His stern tone remained. "It won't come to that hopefully. Madara's dangerous but we have enough information from Konan on Uchiha Corp's CEO to prevent him from seizing office, if we play our cards right."

"What? He's not the CEO?"

"No. Apparently Madara is the actual brain behind the corporation, but legally the strawman owner is his nephew, Uchiha It-"

There was a knock at the hallway door. The lock clicked and the door cracked open, revealing an American soldier. "Oh good, you two are together. Your witness is here to release you. Get your things and follow me."

The thought of finally being free from soldiers and running and fighting gave Usagi renewed vigor. She jumped up excitedly and with Jiraiya simply followed the armed man out, having no things to collect. They passed by several other rooms filled with refugees (or "temporary residents" as the soldiers were told to call them) before descending a flight of stairs and immediately turning left through a set of double doors. The lobby was much more elegant than the guest rooms with crystal chandeliers, marble columns and antique victorian furnishings. The attendant's desk sat to the far left, where Jiraiya was led. Sitting on an arrangement of couches in the center, however, was the person Usagi had desperately fought for.

The female twin squeaked in speechless glee and darted for the couches. The sound caused the object of her attention to turn toward her just as she leapt over the couch's backrest to tackle them. Together they fell off the couch and onto oriental rug below. "What the-"

"NARUTO!" Usagi kissed her brother's cheek repeatedly in unbridled joy. Said twin finally managed to push her up when she latched onto his obnoxiously orange hoodie and shook him like a rag doll. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you!"

Naruto said nothing but stopped his sister's assault by capturing her in a bear hug, his arms almost wrapping twice around her frame. She was so much smaller than he remembered... or was it that he had grown? A wetness prickled his chest through his hoodie and shirt then as he noticed said tiny frame trembling. Usagi was crying. When had she started? "Ehh? What's wrong, Sis? I'm happy to see you, too! Believe it!"

Usagi couldn't answer immediately, her tears blocking her voice, so she shook her head. She felt something nudge her side. Looking over Naruto's shoulder she was able to blurrily make out the culprit's familiar figure (hair) even through all the tears. "Crying isn't a very good way to show your gratitude, stupid." Gentle fingers reached past Naruto's head and removed away the tears, revealing a smirking Sasuke crouching behind her brother. "So stop that." The kind sentiment only made Usagi smile lightly, but the tears still came.

"You ass," she managed to choke but otherwise dug her face deeper into Naruto's shoulder while her left hand reached out to grab the hand Sasuke had just used. He allowed her to hold it without gripping back himself. If she let go they would disappear. This safe place would crumble into dust and she would wake up in her North Carolina home burning alive or bleeding to death from a gun wound. She would wake up and these two people she loved would be missing or... the possibilities only made her cry harder.

Usagi gathered all of her will to convince herself that this was reality. Not another hallucination.

Namikaze Usagi really was safe and in her brother's arms.

/

The group of five watched Jiraiya use a match to light fire to his and Usagi's documents in a public parking garage. Including the release forms he had stolen from the desk while everyone was distracted by Usagi's crying, Jiraiya had also managed to put a virus-loaded flash drive into the consulate attendant's computer. No one would know he and his goddaughter even existed. Usagi had stopped crying by now, but her eyes were still red and she refused to let go of either Naruto or Sasuke's hands.

Umino Iruka's electric blue Honda Accord pulled out of the public parking garage sometime later. The high-rise apartments and hotels looming overhead soon shrank into two-story storefronts and suburban homes, and within the hour transformed into miles of trees and mountains. The solitude of the winding road helped promote conversation.

"Thanks for this, Iruka. I didn't actually expect you to know it was us," Jiraiya attempted quietly.

"You're lucky Sarutobi could find me a substitute on such short notice. You should thank the boys, too. I had no idea what was going on until they filled me in."

Jiraiya looked back at the boys in confusion (without thanking them), then back at Iruka. "I don't know how those brats could know anything but thanks again." Usagi coughed nervously but went unnoticed. "I'm thinking we can be out of your place within the month if I can get my old job back."

Iruka snorted. "I doubt the university will humor you again. Plenty of teachers are threatening to quit the high school after... recent events. I suppose you could apply there. If that doesn't work out... stay as long as you need."

"If you give a mouse a cookie..."

"Is that an English phrase? Why would you give a mouse a cookie?"

"I wouldn't expect a home economics teacher to understand."

"I could kick you out of my car right now Jiraiya and there would be no one for miles to help you."

The two adults in the front continued to banter Usagi studied her brother and his friend in the backseat with her, noticing a lot of things. Both boys towered a whole head over her now even in the low sitting car seats; just two years ago Sasuke was the tallest but not by this much. They had lost a lot of baby fat making them look more mature. Naruto still dressed like a little thug, though. Sasuke was still wearing band-Tees and skinny jeans apparently, but now his ears were gauged. Plugged like hers but the size was smaller.

"You two are taller than me now..."

"I was just thinking how tiny you are! Have you been eating, Sis?"

"Not for the past few weeks, no."

"Iruka always keeps lots of food in the house, right Teme?"

"Ah, if you don't eat it all first Dobe."

"By the way, Duckbutt, about your plugs... wait, are those headphone buds in your ear?"

"Ahh... no. They're earplugs. To block out all of Naruto's screaming."

"You liar! Those are totally the headphones to Usagi's iPod-! Oops..."

"Dobe! You weren't supposed to tell her!"

"I KNEW IT!" Usagi pounced on Sasuke, attempting to search all his pockets. "It's about time I got it back you bastard!"

"GET OFF ME YOU CRAZY B-"

"Quiet the hell down back there! This is a car not a wrestling ring!" Iruka finally butted in when the right side of the car began swerving. Sasuke pushed Usagi to Naruto's side of the Honda where the pigtailed girl crossed her arms and pouted, muttering something about lucky bastards getting away with murder. Sasuke smirked, reaching into his inside coat pocket. The longer his hand stayed inside his denim jacket the louder the sound coming out of his headphones became. "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin... One of Usagi's favorite songs. That son of bitch.

The ride continued this way. Iruka and Jiraiya shared light, adult conversation (although at one point Jiraiya mentioned something about high school uniform skirts becoming shorter) and Usagi tried to ignore her entire playlist blaring through Sasuke's ear drums by catching up with Naruto. The twins talked about everything except for Usagi's life for the past two months. It was a topic being carefully avoided.

Eventually a beeping noise emerged from Sasuke's pocket. When he didn't react - just continued to lay with his head back with his eyes closed - Usagi considered it safe to assume that Sasuke could either not hear anything or was asleep. She preemptively "shhh"ed Naruto and went for the gold...

" 'Aniki'? Ooh, Sasuke has a message from his brother." She whispered.

"Major Dick Itachi?" Naruto muttered. Jiraiya's eyes jolted to the two in the mirror then, but went unnoticed by the twins. "Just leave him alone, he's trouble." The mischievous girl ignored her brother's request, sliding the phone open and reading aloud, " 'It's been almost two days baby brother. Are you okay? Where have you been?' Oh, how precious!" The concern and affection there was so familiar. Usagi felt like she was looking at a message from herself to Naruto. Immediately she began searching through options for "call contact".

"Eh? What are you doing, Usagi? Talking to him isn't a good idea..."

"It'd be wrong to let him worry about 'baby brother'."

"He's always like that though. It's just an Uchiha thing."

Usagi had just hit "call" when Jiraiya roared to stop the car and pull over. Iruka slammed on brakes, the momentum sending the passengers flying forward then back in their seats. The cell phone flew from Usagi's hand, hit the windshield, then fell into Jiraiya's lap while the phone's owner awoke abruptly. Itachi's voice could be heard shouting into the phone. ("Hello? Sasuke! Sasuke, what's going on?") Iruka did as told and pulled over. Before the vehicle even came to a complete stop, Jiraiya jumped out with Sasuke's phone to his ear.

"Hello? Uchiha Itachi of Uchiha Corporation?" The old man ripped open the door closest to Sasuke and dragged the Japanese boy out by his collar. All the other passengers were out of the car in seconds shouting at Jiraiya to let Sasuke go. Naruto tried to pry him loose but was roughly kneed away. Jiraiya locked Sasuke's arms behind his back and slammed his body against the Honda Accord in one swift movement, preventing any more struggle. Sasuke still cussed loudly, but somehow Jiraiya's voice remained clear even through his eerily calm tone. "This could go one of two ways for your little brother depending on how you cooperate: very well, or very badly."

Usagi was frozen in shock, standing far off to the side. Her foster-father had just told her about the Uchiha family barely hours ago! Sasuke was... she now realized why the sir name had been so familiar to her. Sasuke was one of them? One of the sick fucks making money off of this whole fake uprising? Usagi couldn't bring herself to believe her beloved brother's best and first friend was a monster. But... Usagi had trusted the older brother, even if it had only been three days. What if he had ended up hurting Naruto instead? How could she have been so stupid and blind?

The line was deadly quiet for several moments before Itachi's smooth voice came out over speakerphone, "Who are you?"

"I'm asking the questions here, Uchiha. You work for Madara, correct? He have any targets right now? Anyone he would tell little Sasuke here to spy on?"

"What the fuck are you talking about, you bat shit old coot? Why would Itachi waste his time spying on you?" Sasuke yelled. He was largely ignored.

"I assure you that Sasuke has absolutely nothing to do with Madara. He most certainly knows less than you, whoever you are."

"Let's assume I believe you. You still didn't answer my question."

"Unless you're an anti-statist rebel you need not worry about Madara for now."

"What if that's exactly what I am?"

"Old man!" Usagi hissed in English, coming closer and stopping just beside Jiraiya's ear opposite the phone, "Are you sure you should be telling him that much? We're already running into the goddamn inferno!"

"I know what I'm doing, Usagi." The hushed in like-tongue. Sasuke used this as another chance to buck Jiraiya which only ended in his face eating more metal. Naruto tried to charge Jiraiya again but Iruka held his godson back. Usagi had thought she had been discreet by keeping her volume down and using English, but the speakerphone had still managed to transfer her feminine voice across the line.

"...Namikaze Usagi. I am very disappointed. I would not have thought you to use unnecessary violence." Disappointment was not the emotion - if any - carried through in Itachi's voice, but the statement itself was disturbing. She had only spoken to Itachi Uchiha once. Who was he that he knew she opposed violence so strongly? Who was he - the owner of a military arms production company - to judge her violence? Usagi couldn't tolerate such dangerous hypocrisy.

As Jiraiya demanded how Itachi knew the girl at all, Usagi surprised her adopted father by pulling his very long ponytail and snagging the cell phone right from his hand. He couldn't chase after her and hold Sasuke simultaneously, so she bolted. Once the treeline had been reached the war torn teenage girl began laying into Sasuke's brother with righteous fury, still speed-walking past countless trees with unknown purpose or direction.

"You listen here you piece of shit. I admit I was foolish in my position but I trusted you were an okay guy because you're related to Sasuke! Dammit, no one told me you're an arms manufacturer! Who the hell are _YOU_ to call _ME_ VIOLENT?"

"You're holding my brother hostage. I would have equally trusted you with his safety because I thought you were friends."

"No no no no NO. Don't change the subject. I don't condone the old man's extreme behavior, but I'M not the one selling assault rifles TO FUCKING DICTATORS. Why would trusting _ME_ be any issue compared to someone like _you_?"

" 'Old man'. The man who's doing this... is he Gama Jiraiya?"

"No. Stop changing the subject, jerk." How did he know that? Did this Madara character keep detailed information on Minato's relations or something?

"You're lying. At least I know now that Sasuke is under no threat. Jiraiya is a respectable man. I think I understand the situation now."

"Respectable? Obviously you don't understand jack because that doesn't describe Jiraiya." There were leaf-crunching footfalls. Someone had followed, but Usagi couldn't be bothered to figure out who.

"No, he is an honorable, if not persistent man. 'The philosopher earns trust by seeking truth. Those who live Socrates' examined life will inevitably be Plato's martyr in the cave.' "

"Usagi?" It was Naruto calling from a distance. Usagi hadn't realized that she had ventured this far around the mountain. "Sis, where are you?" She didn't respond, too engrossed in her conversation with the probably psychotic CEO, so she sat on a boulder and waited to be found. It helps to remain stationary when one realizes that they are completely lost. Goddamnit.

"That's from The Will of Fire! My father's book... You've read it?"

"I've memorized every word. I am... a sympathizer. I have information on Madara and would like to help you, if you will allow me."

"Somehow I doubt that. What kind of information, per say? What do you get out of it?"

"It's not safe to say here. Return the phone to Jiraiya and I will allow you to personally try me for my war crimes if you wish."

"Another deal? Are you retarded?"

"Have I violated the terms of our first agreement? Has any harm come to Naruto?"

Usagi could see said twin brother's obnoxiously orange hoodie approaching up the slope through the masses of leafless, hibernating trees. The closer Naruto came now (having spotted her), the deeper Usagi began to think on this trust issue. The deal had only been for two days, and it had been made in Usagi's tired, horrified state of mind. How could any weight be put in that sort of thing? She wasn't _that_ stupid; his request was about more than returning Sasuke's phone to Jiraiya. Usagi would doing that regardless. Itachi was indirectly asking her to give him the benefit of the doubt until she could hear him out. Trusting someone who literally enabled all of the problems she had ever had in her life? Was there any excuse under the sun for the things this man had done? What if she showed up to meet him and was... eliminated? Was she insane?

Itachi undeniably worried over his younger brother's well-being. This very conversation would not be occuring if he did not. So he could be trusted to look after Sasuke's best interest. Was Sasuke a spy, though? ...No, Usagi believed Itachi when he had said his iPod stealing kid brother knew nothing. Sasuke was the first friend Naruto ever made after a very lonely and traumatic childhood. The trust Usagi held in the raven-haired boy was not unwarranted. Itachi had said, "I take care of Sasuke's own." She and Naruto were considered Sasuke's own weren't they? Could Itachi be trusted to uphold that? His voice was so unreadable... could that be the voice of someone with something to hide?

If she believed him... if Itachi held his end of this new bargain then Usagi would literally be the judge presiding over his trial. The offer was so tempting. To have revenge for all of those people... Usagi's thoughts stopped dead. Her mouth soured. Revenge was what kings and oligarchs and sociopaths aimed for. Her father would have been shamed by her lack of benevolence. Minato had believed people should be judged by the products of their efforts, and that punishment of negative products came in the form or social ostracism and a ruined reputation. If Itachi's good will was legitimate... Usagi and Jiraiya had everything to gain. If he held any malintent... they didn't really have anything left to lose, did they?

When Naruto caught up he carefully pulled his sister to her feet. "Usagi, what's going on? The Pervert is thrashing Sasuke with questions right now! You don't believe that Sasuke is a spy, too, do you? Major Dick is... a dick, but I don't think he'd make Sasuke do something like that!" Itachi had been waiting awhile for Usagi's reply, so upon hearing Naruto's voice provided for her an answer, "Not only is Naruto fine, he has given me a chance. If you cannot trust me, will you trust Naruto?"

"Naruto's an idiot."

"Hey! I understood that! I'm not an idiot! Believe it!"

"But I already decided that you have enough going on in your favor, Uchiha."

"Thank you. I will do my best to make sure you do not regret it."

Usagi placed a hand over the phone's mouthpiece to address her brother with a "Let's get back before this gets any uglier." Naruto moaned about being ignored and insulted but otherwise led the way out, knowing how horrible Usagi was with direction. The phone stayed silent the entire journey, even though the call had not ended. Eventually the earthen ledge evened out into pavement and the blue Honda Accord stood out amongst the barren hardwood and occasional evergreen trees.

Jiraiya waited leaning against the car, arms crossed and stormy eyes glued to the forest line. Sasuke sat inside the vehicle with Iruka. He looked ready to murder and a nice bruise was forming on his temple, but otherwise no worse for wear. The moment the twins stepped onto the asphalt Jiraiya's body catapulted off of Iruka's car towards them.

"Give me the phone, girl," he said with finality, "Me and you will have a talk later." Usagi tossed Sasuke's phone at him ("Sure, whatever.") and continued into the car. Naruto directed a demon's scowl at Jiraiya while following his sister. Once inside Sasuke revealed that the elder man couldn't get any answers out of him so gave up. Jiraiya had at least had the decency to explain that his family's business could be a great threat to their 'family' of sorts, although refused to go into further detail. Sasuke and Naruto both complained loudly about the situation but Usagi found her focus elsewhere.

The pig-tailed blonde knew she was practically begging for catastrophe. This Itachi Uchiha fellow was probably nothing but trouble. Not even his own brother truly liked or knew him. If he was selling weapons to the 'terrorist-eliminating' United States then financially wouldn't it be in his best interest to turn over possible leaders of the resistance? Uchiha Corporation's public reputation would fly through the roof. Logically this had to be a trap, but... could he actually be one of those inspired by The Will of Fire? It was possible he was a double agent if his uncle Madara was the man actually behind the scenes. Usagi wanted to believe that someone so close to her brother with so many resources would naturally be on their side, but a man as rich and powerful as Itachi giving up fortune for family? Highly unlikely. Either way, she would meet with him and use her judgement from there.

Usagi found her heart torn between logic and hope.

/

I will be the first to admit that this is a terrible chapter, but it was necessary for plot development. I had originally intended Itachi to approach Jiraiya at Iruka's home, but that was too convenient and not at all dramatic. Also, this confrontation will develop Sasuke's character later. Surprise: Sasuke fans will not like what I have in store.

In other news, midterms were this week, so I really struggled to write this chapter at all. Here's hoping that in the next three or four days I will be able to publish chapter six. If this chapter was distasteful for you LEAVE A REVIEW, and we can negotiate.

Next chapter Usagi tries to fit in with Naruto's crowd, and Itachi reveals his plan to help the anti-statist movement.


	6. Identity, Part One

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Battletoads.

/

The sun had just set over the western horizon when Jiraiya reached the designated meeting place. Fisheries and warehouse workers were quietly finishing up for the night just around the block, and the cries of seagulls pierced over the slamming of tailgates and occasional 'good nights'. Once the last worker had left, Jiraiya determined it safe to emerge from his previous hiding place in an alley and stand by the storefront at a table with giant spools for chairs. He didn't wait long for a tall, hooded figure to turn a corner into the lane and drift his way. Although the figure was clad in a gray hoodie, spotless sneakers and new-looking jeans, the old man knew this was no straggling dock worker. The person's posture was too straight and steps too swift.

When the hooded person stopped across the table from him, Jiraiya pushed off of the storefront and huffed, "The pier is an awfully cliche place to meet, Uchiha. I would have thought you more creative." The long-haired elderly man purposefully began the confrontation in a disarming manner as to gauge the younger man. This meeting was already suspicious in and of itself, although necessary, as the Uchiha CEO had refused to provide any vital information over telephone for fear of wiretap. A reasonable fear in his position.

Being so close allowed Jiraiya to see Itachi Uchiha's features even under his hood. If the old man's joke had worked even just a little the Uchiha did not show any sign whatsoever. Itachi's face was a blank slate. Not being able to entirely read the situation made Jiraiya uncomfortable. Both continued to stand at opposite ends of the table, refusing to sit on the spool seats.

**"**For a writer like yourself I suppose it would be. However, Madara knows that I hate fish." Indeed, his nostrils were flaring like the smell was repugnant, but would not put his hand over his nose. "This would be the last place he would expect to find me."

**"**That's nice, kid. Where do you hide the goods in that get-up?"

**"**Drug deal jokes died in the 2010s, Gama." Itachi pulled a nondescript USB from his hoodie's stomach pouch and threw it onto Jiraiya's side of the table, where it clacked and skidded to a stop. "Everything I promised is there. Madara's assets, investments and investors, personal properties, citizenships-"

**"**He has more than one?" Without looking away from Itachi, Jiraiya casually reached out for the USB and tucked it inside his polo-shirt breast pocket. **  
**

**"**I believe he has acquired at least seventy with this identity. Until I manage more, this is all the information I have. You may do with it what you wish."

**"**No, that isn't all." The old Caucasian man attempted to stand taller, but felt his back crack. Was he really getting that old? No matter; he was a good two feet taller than the Japanese boy regardless. "Earlier today you said something about warehousing arms for our militias. Your motivation still isn't clear. How do I know all this information isn't botched? Or better yet, this driver could be a tracking device. Giving me information now could be beneficial to Madara later if he can get rid of a threat to his nomination."

**"**Madara has already bought out all of the delegates. His appointment is inevitable," Itachi retorted smoothly, "However, I have recently become... inspired to take action against his policies. A peace offering. You might recognize it." Itachi reached inside his hoodie pocket again, this time carefully tossing The Will of Fire across the concrete table. Jiraiya visibly scrambled to pick the book up with both hands.

**"**This is the original copy of Minato's thesis! The girl said she lost this!" He tensed up then, assuming the role of protective godfather. "I don't know how you got a hold of this, boy, but if you-" **  
**

**"**Unfortunately, I met with President Goodwin the week of the Libertopia incident and fortunately salvaged this particular copy before it was destroyed. Surely Miss Namikaze would like it returned. Minato's words were very enlightening, and I do not wish to spit on his grave any longer."

**"**Feeling guilty, Uchiha?" Jiraiya spat, "It was pretty convenient for your father that Minato was _suddenly _shot on his way home that night. What with Fugaku's Arab Spring scandal leaked online earlier that week."

**"**You and I both know that was no coincidence." Itachi looked at the table then, slipping his hands into his pants pocket. So he was feeling guilty after all. "It's too late for my family to be forgiven, but as a sovereign individual... I never asked for any of this, but please allow me to make things right."

A frigid breeze rushed in the lane from the sea, and Jiraiya fought not to shiver. It was not the wind, however, that made the old man feel so chilled. Itachi's words were so familiar. Minato had said those words to Jiraiya when the Dean of Letters at Kyushu University had threatened to terminate him for passing The Will of Fire. Minato had been ridden with guilt over getting his favorite professor into so much trouble. For the briefest of moments it was no longer Itachi Uchiha standing across the table, avoiding his gaze in hidden shame, but Minato Namikaze.

Perhaps giving the Uchiha boy a chance would be worthwhile.

**"**...I'll give the book to the girl, I guess, but she and the boy are the ones really hurt by your family. Not me."

**"**I am well aware. ...and thank you.

" Jiraiya snorted before making his way around the table, slapping a bear-paw sized hand on Itachi's shoulder, "You twenty yet, boy? Look old enough to still be using training wheels."

**"**...I'm twenty-one?"

**"**Good. I know some classy digs where we can get a jug of sake and talk some more about these goods you're wanting to supply us. Rich kid's buying." Jiraiya patted Itachi's shoulder again and started walking away down the lane toward the cluster of high-rises in the distance. The old man thought he heard a muttered "how do I always end up paying for these things?" before near silent footfalls proceeded to follow.

Free sake and a lifetime of information? Jiraiya had a good feeling about this particular Uchiha CEO.

/

Iruka's house was just as bland as his personality. Dull and conformist. It literally had not changed at all since Usagi's previous visits. The nondescript picture frames, neutral tan upholster, and formless sculptures reminded her of a therapist's office. The last thing the teenage girl wanted to do right now was talk about her feelings. Mixes of relief, hope, pain, doubt, anger and fear stirred in her chest like a typhoon that had not yet reached a harbor - talking about them would be the equivalent of the storm finally touching down. Instead of causing more chaos for those around her, Usagi decided she would concentrate on her loved ones' well-beings.

The moment the five had arrived at Iruka Umino's suburban home in the late afternoon Jiraiya had taken off on foot toward the city. Sasuke looked relieved to see him go, but Usagi had insisted she follow, knowing her godfather was probably meeting with Uchiha Itachi. If he was tricked... his old body couldn't afford to fight anyone off, but Jiraiya commanded she stay behind with finality. He disappeared around a stack of hedges down the residential street as Naruto held onto her arm firmly. "Don't worry, Sis. The Pervert will come back. Believe it!"Not only had this made her angry, but after a short dinner of just rice and pickled vegetables Iruka began insisting that Sasuke return to his own home, going on about school nights and family time. Usagi was grateful for the man's hospitality, but "Quit nagging him like a bitch, dude. No one cares if he's here but you." The three teenagers locked themselves in Naruto's room after that. Eventually Iruka gave up reprimanding them through the door and headed off to bed.

Naruto's room was full of life and a welcome escape. It, also, had not changed at all since Usagi's last visit. Posters of J-Hip hop and J-rock artists masked the wallpaper underneath in every corner, the hardwood floor had burn and crayon marks all over, and random junk littered every square inch of furniture space, including the one twin bed pushed to the far corner. Somehow Naruto had managed to find an aquarium in all this chaos to proudly show off his overweight pet bullfrog, Gamabunta. Usagi was sure that the frog was big enough to swallow her hand whole, so politely ("THAT THING'S AN EFFIN' DINOSAUR.") declined to hold it when offered. The rest of the night was spent attempting to beat Battletoadson Naruto's ancient NES. When, around two in the morning, that had proved to be an abysmal failure, the boys let Usagi have the bed and made pallets on the floor for themselves. The only girl hated being treated like a damsel in distress but... the bed was so comfy.

Jiraiya had not returned yet from meeting with Sasuke's brother and the goddaughter could only fear the worst. How could she lay in comfort, not knowing the whereabouts of the man that raised her, uncouth as he may be? As the overhead fan's light was turned out and the room was illuminated only by the blue screen of the television, Usagi found that as worried about her godfather as she may have been, she had not slept properly for the past three days. She could no longer deny sleep. Barely ten minutes had passed before her brother's obnoxious snoring in that equally obnoxious doggie sleeping cap replaced the silence and Sasuke gave a frustrated sigh and pulled his pillow over his head. "Retard..."

These were the last things Usagi heard before falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.

/

The next morning everything was covered in crisp snow. Iruka managed to convince Naruto and Sasuke to leave the sleeping girl for the frozen outdoors and go to school. Jiraiya had not yet come home. The boys felt guilty for not staying until Usagi awoke, but knew they had no more excuse to stay out now that Iruka would be working.

At school it was just as Sasuke had feared it would be. Everyone - students and staff alike - had noticed the Uchiha family crest adorning the tanks still stationed on the soccer greens now constantly accompanies by three American soldiers. This only caused more confusion among the student body who had plenty of questions to ask and rumors to spread. Many were angry and accusatory, although their remarks were so far from truth that Sasuke visibly brushed them off.

The boys found solace on the roof during lunch with their friend Sakura. Although the sky had darkened with heavy-laden snow clouds and temperature dropped dramatically again during the day, the trio rarely ate lunch anyplace else. They bundled up in blankets stolen from the infirmary and sat close to one another against the fence. Sakura always brought a bento which she shared along with melon bread and drinks the boys bought.

Eventually, Naruto proudly informed Sakura that Usagi was home, although leaving out some of the more gruesome details. The strawberry blonde was eager to meet with the golden blonde again. Usagi was rough around the edges, but she was so _real_that friendship with her was an easy one, just like her twin brother. Sakura offered to help Usagi buy clothes and other things the refugee needed, to which Naruto eagerly agreed. "I sure as hell am not going to help her buy... panties and stuff. Believe it!" Naruto then suggested he and Sasuke "do something manly!", but Sasuke cryptically claimed to already have plans.

Back at Iruka's house, Usagi awoke late in the morning finding herself alone in her brother's bedroom, feeling both at peace and restless. The calm of this place felt surreal. Her entire body was warm with the tingling sensation of relaxation and there was finally no fear of being ambushed. The girl felt horrible for being able to sleep without knowing whether or not her foster-father made it back safely, but logic dictated she would never know the outcome if she simply stayed buried under her brother's sheets. It would be much easier to give into the warm sheets and the cold dreadful anticipation. Managing to wrestle herself out from under the comforter, she found the floor unbearably freezing and forced herself across it to slip on a pair of her brother's froggy slippers carelessly strewn about the bedroom. She peeked through the blinds to find snow abound and cursed to herself before trudging forward from her dragon's cave to smell what was probably burnt bread and coffee and... sake. Usagi rushed down the stairs, into the kitchen.

There sat Jiraiya, face fallen with obvious migraine. He held a mug of black coffee in one hand, newspaper in the other. The Pervert concentrated so heavily to read the newspaper through his headache that he didn't notice his goddaughter's entry. The dread that had filled her before began to dissipate now, replaced with relief. Every day she noticed the old coot's wrinkles becoming more defined despite his young attitude. The sight of a hungover and miserable looking Jiraiya filled her with such joy that she rushed forward to hug his neck, to which her old man sputtered, "Blast it, girl! My head is killing me..."

**"**You're an idiot!" The little hellion declared, smiling brightly despite herself. She quickly jumped back from him when he made to swat at her, flitting to the other side of the table where she grabbed a piece of burnt toast. A Jiraiya classic. "You're getting too old to be out all night!"

**"**Who's old, you brat? I'm just mature, unlike someone at this table wearing frogs on their feet." Jiraiya took a sip of his coffee and flinched at the bitter taste, attempting to continue reading his paper. Said slippered feet were put on the tabletop and wiggled near Jiraiya's face. He grunted in wordless response, turning a page. Usagi was quiet for a moment as she put her ignored feet back under the table and took a bite of her toast, loving what the awful taste it represented.

**"**So you're in one piece it seems. I take it things went well with the psychopath? I've been dying to ask!"

**"**Uchiha Itachi? Yes, you could definitely say that. Boy's not very good with his liquor, though..." Jiraiya said nonchalantly, still not looking up from his paper.

Usagi's eyebrows shot up. "You got him _drunk_? What exactly happened last night?" The teenage girl threw the crust left from the toast behind her, not caring where it landed in Iruka's kitchen. She was beginning to become upset with the fact that the old man did not seem to be taking this situation seriously all-of-a-sudden and could only deflect it by making an ass of herself. All the hype yesterday and now this?

**"**Let's just say he offered me a deal I couldn't refuse."

Usagi rolled her eyes and muttered, "Yeah, he seems to be pretty good at that." Then more loudly, "Now tell me what happened last night, you ancient fart!"

Jiraiya contemplated whether or not he should actually discuss with his goddaughter the deal he had made with the eldest Uchiha brother. He had absolutely no idea how she would respond, as the girl was nearly as unpredictable as her twin. After a long, distracted gulp of coffee, Jiraiya decided that the plan he concocted with Itachi was better revealed sooner than later. "You're not gonna like what I have to tell you but if you think you can be a big toad for me, I'll tell you." Usagi's squinty pout face showed she did not like being referred to as a toad, but regardless nodded in silent promise. Jiraiya rubbed his wrinkled face with the hand once holding the newspaper before continuing.

The writer told his foster-daughter all the other things Itachi had relayed to him: Madara's inevitable appointment, the mysterious influential family, the chips and their militias, and Madara's plan to hunt them all down. He watched her face morph into families of mixed emotions and wished he didn't have to expose her to any of these things at all. However, Usagi was at just as much risk as himself. She deserved to know. "Even knowing all this... there's too much we don't know. It's apparent that there is some conspiracy among the leaders of the now totalitarian nations and some global corporations, but no one seems to know their ultimate goal. Luckily, they - whoever 'they' are - seem to know less about these militias than we do."

**"**Really! What do we know?"

**"**...Akatsuki is what Pein and the others in Alaska call themselves. They are one of the remaining eight militias. Somewhere on Earth is a person that has Minato's data on Akatsuki stored in them. From the information the boy gave me last night, Madara doesn't seem to know anything about them yet."

**"**... I can't imagine that my father never said anything to you about these militias."

Jiraiya caught on quickly to what the sharp blue-eyed blonde was insinuating. "Don't get smart with me, now. I knew about Akatsuki because they formed just after I quit teaching. Back then they were just a few college dropouts who met to discuss philosophy but... eventually we saw the signs of state militarism expanding, so Akatsuki had to militarize themselves as well. When I began traveling to research for my Icha Icha series...I lost contact with everyone then for a while. I had no idea Minato had inspired other groups. And I sure as hell didn't know anything about these RFID chips."

This was a lot of information for someone her age and experience to accept at once, and Usagi wasn't entirely sure she should believe everything because of the source. She began eating a new slice of black toast and said with full-mouth, "Sho, wha'?" She swallowed. " Are we in hiding oooor does this all mean we're going to start distributing books in Japan now?"

The Pervert sat back in his dinner chair and crossed his arms. "That's the part you won't like. The Uchiha kid has agreed to throw in supplies and weapons to all the militias we find before Madara. The problem is actually having someone on the ground looking for these people... we agreed that person should be me. I'm going to travel again, snoop around and whatno-"

"WHAT?! But we just got here! I am not leaving Naruto again."

**"**Not you. Just me. I need you to stay here and keep an eye on things. Keep me posted. Work with Itachi."

**"**_Work with him? _How are you so sure Major Dick can be trusted, anyway? Yesterday you were slamming people into vehicles for mentioning his name!"

**"**I have my reasons and so should you."

Jiraiya gruffly reached inside his coat pocket and flung a tattered, thin book onto the table. The pig-tailed blonde let out a strange cry. The Will of Fire barely touched the wooden surface of the table before it was greedily grabbed up by her small feminine hands and held sacredly to her chest.**"**Goodwin tried to have that destroyed, but the Uchiha boy saved it. He's given us a lot of resources to work with... resources that do not benefit him at all to give. Says it's for Minato's memory..." Jiraiya stood to leave the kitchen, first giving his goddaughter some parting words, "I'm heading back to Anchorage to start my search once I hear back from Konan. I'm expecting to be here another two weeks, max. Maybe you should come to terms with the risks we would be taking if I didn't."

Later, alone in the security of her twin brother's bed, Usagi lay under the sheet with her father's book. For the longest time the tears rolled and she was content with simply reliving the feel of the cover. All of the tears and seams and emboldened letters... she had memorized these textures long ago. Feeling them again was a sort of comfort too great for words. Almost... as if her parents were there with her, whispering their wise words to her in her time of need. That she had lost the book in the first place upset her enough, but the fact that sick bastard Goodwin defiled it with his bloody hands was what truly distressed the girl. The Will of Fire**'**s savior was... unexpected. Perhaps she should really analyze her thoughts on the man Uchiha Itachi.

Uchiha Itachi allowed everything she stood against, simultaneously able to quote everything she stood for. Her greatest love ones trusted him... more or less, but the person he cared for the most did not trust him at all. He held honorable oaths while making dishonorable ones. He was willing to supply guns that could possibly be turned one day against one of the only living family members he had. He condoned old men gallivanting across the globe on unlikely goose chases. She hated having to accept, let-alone respect Jiraiya's decision to leave. To leave her... There were so many questions she had with only one person she could ask.

Usagi went to roll onto her side when something fell out of her father's book. Thinking it was one of the photograph bookmarks she kept inside, she reached to where the object lay on her shoulder. Instead she picked up something rather peculiar: a folded piece of stationery with 'Namikaze Usagi' scrawled on the outside in perfect English cursive. This was not anything that had been in her book before. Usagi sat up in Naruto's bed and looked about, as if the messenger were in the room, before hesitantly opening the folded paper to reveal Uchiha Corp letterhead - complete with business address and phone number - with the same cursive handwriting as before.

_I promised you judgement over my transgressions. I feel necessary to appeal to you as if I could appeal to Minato by proxy. Trust is not something I expect from you, but the chance to earn it would be an honor. Name the time and place and I will be there. _

There was no name or signature following the short note, but it was obvious enough who the letter was from. So this was about redemption, was it? Selfish, arrogant, and probably manipulative if his ability to convince Jiraiya was anything to read from. Perhaps that's why Sasuke seemed to hate his own brother. Usagi was not suddenly going to become a judge to appease a billionaire with a guilty conscience. The Will of Fire was not a religion, and she was not some priestess or heir of an empire. She was just going to have to meet with this man herself and give him her two cents, as agreed.

If nothing else she could probably bum a free meal off the CEO.

Later in the day Naruto came home from school with Sakura. According to the blonde boy, Sasuke had claimed to have somewhere to be. All three thought it strange that Sasuke didn't invite Naruto to go with him - where that place may be - but Usagi verbally blamed it on "his time of the month". After pleasantries with Sakura, it was revealed that the green-eyed girl actually came to help Usagi purchase clothes of her own. Sakura had even bothered to bring her own red skinny-jeans and fur-lined coat so that Usagi didn't have to go out looking like... whatever trash she looked like in Naruto's overly large t-shirt. Naruto had nabbed Iruka's credit card from the teacher's wallet and the two girls went out on the town together. Regardless of Usagi's hatred of girliness, it was decidedly the most fun she had had in months, and she got the sick guiltless pleasure of purchasing an entire new wardrobe and cell phone on Umino's credit line.

Wait until the nagging dolphin man saw the 30,000 yen Rav'ijor purchase.

That night, after the girls met with Naruto to walk Sakura home and Usagi was comfortably hogging Naruto's bed again, she took out her new phone and just stared at it. Should she bother contacting Major-Dick (she found Naruto's name for him so appropriate)-the-Guilty-Prick (her own added flair)? Usagi was sure there was no party happening on Friday after all the drama, so there was no rush, but... she decided she would give him a chance. Over the time that Jiraiya would be gone _someone_ would have to watch the Uchiha family. She sent Sasuke's brother a simple text.

_Tomorrow at 18:00, at the shrine on the hill. If you're late, I'll leave. Come alone._

/

This is part one of my update, since part two still requires major editing and... completing! Part two should be out within the week.

I hope everyone reading this had a Merry Christmas! I apologize for the long wait, but my Christmas was pretty awesome aside from the holiday work I had to do. It consumed most of my time and energy.

Rav'ijor is a Japanese lingerie store very similar to Victoria's Secret. Battletoads is an impossibly difficult game that came out in 1991 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The Arab Spring is... you know what, just go read a newspaper.

Now that we're back on track...

Next Chapter: Sasuke confronts Itachi! What is his beef? Usagi makes some decisions and confronts Itachi herself! Man, can't this guy get a break?


	7. Identity, Part Two

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

A procession of black and platinum luxury vehicles stood stark against the various grays of the city buildings surrounding them as they passed. The sparse spots of sun shining through the soon-to-be rain clouds cast silver glares over windows and puddles. The air was sticky with humidity, but cold with wind. A bleak and miserable day. Despite the drab weather, the flags mounted on the passenger door of each car displaying an uchiwa flag waved proudly. A small Japanese boy sat in-between his parents in one of these vehicles - a Mercedes Benz - in dead center the processional. The boy's short, spiky hair was askew so his faceless mother bent over him to fix his hair when the father shouted an order to the driver. But it was too late.

The boy watched as the black car ahead of them flipped backwards and with the sickening sound of metal being crushed that car crashed into the Benz. Blackness, then...

Uchiha Sasuke awoke then. At first the raven-haired boy only opened his eyes, still laying in his pallet, staring past his thick eyelashes at the silver light floating through the crack in his best-friend's blinds. Then he could feel: the cold of the floor underneath through the comforter, the warm wet welling up in his eyes. Sasuke aggressively wiped these away and sat up, looking about to see who else was awake. Sasuke's body had been tense from his dream, but relaxed upon seeing his friends' peaceful expressions. To his right Naruto was still sprawled out over the entire floor if possible, snoring like an idiot, and to his left was Usagi. Her body was wrapped tightly around a pillow and cocooned in Naruto's Momotaro-themed comforter, long hair down and only her face and a single bare leg poking its way out. If this had been the last time Usagi had visited, Sasuke would have been out of sorts seeing her this way.

Sasuke had had a crush on her then. A fourteen-year-old's first-real-contact-with-a-girl kind of crush. Usagi was bright and smart(er than her brother) and outgoing. They could hold conversations about music, video-games, politics (those were strange conversations), whatever. At the time, he had gone as far as to ask a teacher at his junior high school for advice on dating an American girl to which he answered, "Do you have no national pride, boy! You can't mix the races and expect to keep Japan strong! Bad enough we have to school you together..." At first he had completely ignored this nationalist advice out of spite. Naruto was white, and he was his best friend! But as Usagi refused to reciprocate his advances he thought that maybe she was only interested in her own "kind". He was just 'Duckbutt' to her. Maybe his racist teacher's words had held some kernel of truth.

Sasuke's interest in Usagi fizzled out. Now, in his mind, she had developed into just another side of Naruto. One with better taste in music, more intellect, and well... a rocking body. Besides, the political theories she inherited from her father were over his head. It was emasculating. Now, the thought of being with her was a little weird. Sasuke wanted to treat Naruto and Usagi like he wished his own brother would treat him.

Recent events, therefore, had been unsettling. Ever since he had made that foolish phone call to Itachi about the party, Sasuke had been noticing a strange change in his older brother's behavior. Itachi read philosophy and history more, stayed out later. More disturbingly, Itachi refused to let Sasuke in on anything, yet somehow Sasuke was the one the bat-shit old man assaulted for information! The younger Uchiha brother knew his brother was involved in some sketchy things (he wasn't stupid, he knew that's why Itachi wouldn't talk to him about it), but anything that would invoke that violent a response from Usagi was too much.

Ever since their parents had... died, Itachi and Sasuke had been under the care of their nanny, until Itachi turned seventeen when he suddenly decided to move the two of them out of the Uchiha manor in secret and into a penthouse. He remembered Itachi specifically forbidding a maid to let their uncle Madara know where they moved. The Uchiha manor was an ancient place, having been the home of their family when they were a feudal clan hundreds of years ago. Leaving it felt like a betrayal to their parents' memory, but the younger brother had to follow the older, now guardian. Now, with no one to care for it, the traditional home lay empty, dilapidated, and abandoned.

Growing-up, Itachi was the best older brother imaginable. He was always willing to play, to give advice, to be open and honest. Even after their parents' deaths Sasuke could tell Itachi was doing his best to be strong for his younger brother's sake. According to their father's will, Itachi was to inherit the company at age seventeen. That's when things began to change. Until then Madara had acted as "regent" and had only seemed too happy to hand the reins to his brother's child. Uncle and nephew often met at the company doing... well Sasuke never knew what. What he boy did know what that Itachi would often come back to the penthouse white as a ghost and increasingly harder to read. He never had time to play or help with homework. They never even ate meals together. Itachi, when asked, always claimed it was the stress of running their family's empire, but Sasuke had a difficult time believing that. Itachi was a prodigy after all. Nothing was too much for him.

The forever-annoying bug that was Iruka came during Sasuke's musings to wake the boys and send them off to school. Jiraiya still had not come home yet at the time they left. Although Sasuke was still angry at the old man for bruising his face up yesterday, it left a sour taste in the Japanese boy's mouth to think that his own brother might have something to do with his disappearance. If he was even missing. Jiraiya was infamous in their circle for his habitual partying. Throughout the torture of attending school that day the anger he held towards his brother escalated. Unlike Naruto, Sasuke could not find it in himself to put any trust in Itachi's promise of innocence concerning the tanks. All of the drama and animosity being directed towards his family because of the war machines made the anger the teenager usually held far from view bubble near the surface.

Sasuke decided enough was enough.

After school and cleaning duties, Sakura and Naruto left early to meet with Usagi as Sasuke headed to the penthouse he hadn't seen in several days. If it were up to the young Uchiha he would never see it again. The penthouse was a few train stops from the school, deep in the glass and concrete jungle of downtown Konoha. The high-rise that housed it was barely ten years old, built during a temporary housing boom, with terracing floors near the top and bottom covered in hanging plants and seasonal flowering bushes. Itachi had once likened it to the Babylonian hanging gardens, likeness enhanced further in the lobby by raised plant beds and center fountain. Sasuke now glided through this lobby, avoiding the gazes of the lobby workers that knew him so well, and entered the elevator to ascend to the top-floor.

Inside the penthouse the artificial homeliness that Itachi had tried to create contrasted greatly with the organic modernity of the rest of the building. The furniture and accessories had been purposely chosen because they were comfortable and inviting rather than reflect the power behind the person that purchased them. At the warm-brown semi-circle couch that took up most of the joint living and dining room sat the object of Sasuke's frustrations - his older brother Uchiha Itachi - who appeared busy with... sleeping? Sasuke's brows furrowed and his head tilted in scrutiny. Itachi never, ever slept this late, let-alone outside his bedroom.

Itachi was awoken with a start from his unusual slumber when Sasuke picked up a throw-pillow and pounded him on the head. "What the hell is this, Aniki?"

The older Uchiha jumped up and instantly regretted it, grabbing his head when he experienced pain and dizziness. He had never had alcohol let alone a hangover before, and probably after last night would never have it again. Despite the light coming through the balcony's french doors that burned into his retinas, Itachi almost smirked, "You've only been gone three days and you don't recognize a nap when you see it? I see Naruto's IQ level rubbed off on you." He looked up then to see a glowering face and he glowered right back. The right side of Sasuke's face was black-and-blue. "Your face... What happened to you, little brother?"

**"**Jiraiya beat me against a fucking car, that's what happened!" Now in his anger he threw the pillow across the open space into the kitchenette the brothers never used. "He interrogated me like a criminal because of some beef he has with YOU!"

**"**I wasn't aware-"

**"**Whether or not I was aware of your bullshit didn't keep me from getting thrashed into by that towering old fuck who, by the way, never came back last night."

**"**Strange..." Itachi thought aloud, "We left separated on good terms long before morning." He and Jiraiya had discussed their plans and strategies until just before three in the morning when they parted ways and the rare drunken Itachi staggered onto this very couch and passed out. Had he really slept all day...? He was definitely never ever touching alcohol again for any recreational purpose.

Sasuke noiselessly pulled his cell phone out of his jacket pocket and began typing a message, sending it before returning the phone to its previous place. "I just sent Naruto a message. If Jiraiya hasn't shown up to the house by now I'm turning you into the police, Itachi." When the older simply lifted a brow in amusement the younger spat, "I'm serious! Do you know what I went through today at school? Everyone wants to know about those tanks but what am I supposed to tell them? They were intended for rebels in the States but for some reason their pointed at Japanese citizens? Some people are accusing our family of treason! I've turned a blind eye to all your business since our parents died, but I won't ignore you harming my reputation and friend's family!"

**"**Sasuke... we should talk about this. There's a lot of things you should know, but at the very least you must know I met with Jiraiya to help, not harm."

**"**Help them?" The sound hissed through Sasuke's grinding teeth. "Uchiha Corp. sells weapons, Aniki, and not to rebel factions hiding out in caves and abandoned cities. You've taken our family's fortune and legacy for blood money! We used to be the pride of Japan! What profit could you possibly get from helping them now?"

Any inkling of a hangover was gone now as frigid liquid sobriety ran through Itachi's veins. He knew Sasuke blamed him - with proper right - for the downfall of what was left of the Uchiha claim, but how much exactly did his spiky haired sibling know? Regardless of what Sasuke thought he knew, he would never know that or why Itachi saw the Uchiha name as a curse. There was no glory or honor anywhere in the once-clan's long history. Ever since he had his first real conversation with their father... Itachi wanted out.

Slowly, Itachi stood from the couch to look down at his one and only brother with features stern. Itachi couldn't remember the last time they had stood so close, but now he noticed Sasuke was only an inch shorter than him. When did he grow so much? "We have a common enemy and a common goal. Harming the anti-statists would be harming myself. If you've ever read The Will of Fire you would understand."

Sasuke was not at all intimidated by his older brother's assuming the man-with-conviction role and so sneered in response, "By common enemy you mean Uncle Madara? You read a few words and you turned against him? I don't believe that trash." While Itachi seemingly abandoned showing emotion in recent memory, Sasuke could still pick up on the small indications his older brother gave; a vein in Itachi's neck twitched and his jaw settled. Aggravation.

**"**Believe whatever you want about me, Sasuke. Just promise me you'll stay away from Madara."

Sasuke opened his mouth to reply when a beeping interrupted him. Only stopping his glare towards Itachi to look down at his phone, he said blankly, "Looks like your story checked out." Sasuke would just have to retreat and return to the drawing board. There was just no way he was letting his brother off so easily of all the unnecessary mystery and ridiculousness. He turned towards his own bedroom, flipping the bird over his shoulder, "I don't respect you enough anymore to care."

Once Sasuke had shut his bedroom door behind him things were quiet. Itachi stood in this silence musing on his options. He knew for certain that he did not regret his choice to keep harmful information from his younger brother, but was it time to finally talk to him about it? Regardless of Sasuke acting like a child, Itachi decided that it was worth a try. Lightly he walked to Sasuke's door and knocked on it, "Brother. If this is about what I haven't told you then I think you are right. You deserve to know if you want. It looks bad right now but... not everything is what you think it is."

There was a loud 'thump' from the other side of the western-style mahogany door before Sasuke shouted, "I told you I don't care what you have to say! I'll find out for myself." There was another moment of silence before Sasuke cracked open said door. Giving Itachi the most venomous glare that he had ever seen - like a demon in old folktales - the spiky haired Uchiha growled, "And stay the hell away from my friends. Usagi does not need your bullshit." The western door was then slammed in Itachi's face.

Itachi knew then he had also been slammed out of Sasuke's life.

Other than the occasional cell phone jingle, Sasuke's room was silent for the rest of the night. Surely he was collaborating something with his trouble making best friend. The long-haired older brother did not attempt to speak to the younger again unless he decided to come out and be civil. Neither ever happened.

Instead, late in the night, after shadows casted themselves over the entirety of the living room and Itachi sat motionless, staring out of the balcony doors, his own cell phone beeped on the coffee table. Inside was a message from an unknown number that read simply: _Tomorrow at 18:00, at the shrine on the hill. If you're late, I'll leave. Come alone. _There were only so many people that would both have his personal number, but only one that would leave such a message. It was the very person that his beloved brother had just threatened him not to meet with, for fear that he would only make their life more complicated.

Namikaze Usagi, however, needed to hear what he had to say, and so Itachi would go, having already lost all that should matter to him: his little brother's respect.

/

Wednesday morning Usagi woke with Naruto at 8:00 but otherwise took time to pamper herself with a hot bath and loud music. It was so blissful. At breakfast, Iruka had grilled some fish and prepared natto, which no one but himself ate. The television in the living room had been turned onto the news, and they listened in silence as they ate for anything alarming. Food and fuel prices were expected to rise 20% by the New Year, but otherwise the news was filled with nothing but early-morning gossip and fashion tips.

Eventually, when Iruka sported a clear plate, he informed Usagi that he had arranged her a meeting with Headmaster Sarutobi. Usagi nearly choked on a fish bone. "Maybe I don't want to go to school," she replied sourly. "Maybe I would just rather get a job like back home."

**"**You can't mean that. Your education should be your top priority right now. Besides, you're too young to be worrying about work."

**"**I learned enough when I was home schooled."

Jiraiya gruffly added, "Back when I could hire you a tutor. No one has the time or money to teach you now, girl. It's best you just suck in your gut and go."

Naruto agreed she should attend his school wholeheartedly, if for no other reason than they could see more of each other. Usagi could spit on Iruka-the-fucking-busy-body for all she cared, but to make Naruto happy she agreed. Her brother would probably be the death of her... Moreover, how was she supposed to attend a school with no identity? Didn't Iruka know what sort of danger that would be putting them all in to have her existence in Japan publicized in such a way? If the Pervert thought that it wouldn't be an issue, however, then Usagi would just have to trust his judgement.

Besides, with her attitude she predicted to be expelled before Golden Week.

With clothes she could actually been seen wearing in public - Usagi tagged along with Naruto to Konoha Senior High School. Naruto tried to help his sister remember the way by pointing out landmarks - the train station, Ichiraku Ramen, his favorite porn store - but both knew it was pointless. Usagi would never be able to navigate anywhere on her own. Despite this and the stacking snow that she was beginning to despise, the female twin thoroughly enjoyed relearning her brother's favorite places. Architecturally, Konoha was a beautiful city with its lavish western stone buildings mixed among more traditional wooden eastern dwellings, and plentiful lush green parks filled with trees and birds. It was extremely clean like most Japanese cities; the air was clear of pollution, probably because of the cleansing filter-effect provided by the Kyushu mountains to the west and the Hyuuganada Sea to the east.

On arrival Naruto reluctantly dropped his twin sister at the main office and headed to homeroom. His loving bear hug attracted a lot of attention. Upon meeting Headmaster Sarutobi, Usagi's initial impression was that she had never seen a more ancient man that was not retired; liver spots covered more of his body that actual clear skin. He didn't question her punkish choice of attire, or the gauges in her ears. Just smiled and smoked at a pipe. She was one-hundred-percent sure that smoking was illegal on school grounds. Usagi definitely liked the old guy. Saruboti asked average questions like her plans after school ("open a tavern, I guess? Hell, I have no idea. No way I could tolerate college"), hobbies ("music, dance, I read books sometimes"), and studies of interest ("philosophy"). The two discussed potential solutions for her legal identity (or lack there-of) issue.

After all the formalities and a few oldy-but-goody jokes, Sarutobi gave his words of encouragement. "Most the staff here remember your parents fondly. They were friends, colleagues... some even your father's students. Do not doubt that we are your allies." Sarutobi's voice was gruff from smoking and steady despite age. There was a moment's pause as he let the meaning of his words - as they were very heavy with many meanings - sink in. He chewed subtly on the mouthpiece of his pipe out of habit. "There is a lot you could stand to learn from joining our family here... if you will allow us to teach you."

Usagi didn't really _want_to attend high school. Quite honestly, she didn't even see a point in it. Certainly having an identity could hurt her in the future if she needed to lay low or run. What did Konoha Senior High School have to offer Usagi? Allies? Yes, she supposed she could use all the friends she could find in these times. If the other faculty members were anything like the headmaster then it couldn't be so bad. Perhaps someone here that knew her father had information on his RFID chips...

Usagi agreed to attend the school, but "I can't promise to stay out of trouble." Sarutobi chuckled, claiming it was only expected of Uzumaki Naruto's sister. A new identity and documents were forged for Usagi on the spot. The papers would stay strictly inside the school, used only for the occasion that Usagi wished to attend university after all. The caucasian girl wondered not for the first time that day exactly what kind of teachers were these that so easily broke the law. Not that she cared at all for the law.

So as to at least be honest about her relation to Uzumaki Naruto, Namikaze Usagi was now "legally" to be known as "Uzumaki Naruko".

/

Looming over the residential districts of Konoha was a mountain with a prominent cliff-face. Ten-story commercial buildings from the eighties blocked the view of the cliff itself, but from almost anywhere in the lower levels of the city one could see the trees dotting the top of the mountain. In the warmer months these trees would be full of refreshing greens, but now were barren of all but snow. There was no road leading to the top of this mountain from the city, only countless stone steps masoned into the side of the cliff zig-zagging to the top. Rising just over the top of some of the trees could be seen a ornate traditional Japanese roof. Native Japanese living in Konoha know this roof to belong to the city's Shinto shrine complex dedicated to their patron gods Susano'O, Amaterasu, and Tsukuyomi. The shrine's services were paid for almost entirely by the Uchiha family, as it had long-ago been believed these gods themselves gave the Uchiha ancestors the lands on which modern Konoha sat as a reward for their piety.

The irony of Namikaze Usagi wanting to meet him at this particular location was not lost on Itachi.

Every year the entire Uchiha family would don traditional garb clad in their family crest and make a procession up the many stone steps and into the main temple, where they would systematically make material offerings to the three patron gods. These offerings were thought to win the god's favor in maintaining the Uchiha's influence and power over both Konoha and Japan as a whole. This day was called Uchiwa no matsuri. Since the destruction of the family no one performed the ritual any longer; Sasuke had been too young to remember it and Itachi did not believe in winning divine favor for a corrupt name. The CEO did not much less even believe in divinity! The photographic memories of the rituals were disturbing to Itachi, and he rather wished he did not have to return to the shrine at all, let alone climb the heart-hollowing steps.

Upon reaching the top of the mountain he noticed only shrine maidens milling about, performing their daily chores, none of them blonde or caucasian. Time was certainly not the issue: the sun was setting over Mount Osuzu to the west, which at this time of year meant it was 18:00. Itachi asked a blushing shrine maiden if she had seen someone of Usagi's description to which her demeanor changed quickly to contempt, "Oh yes, the gaijin. Last I saw she was in the graveyard, making a muck of the offering boxes. I doubt she even knows what they're for!" Itachi left the inappropriately racist girl for the graveyard to find that she had been correct. Several rows in, crammed in between countless vertical stone slabs printed with kanji, was the petite golden-haired girl he had been looking for, kneeling in front of a grave with rag in hand.

While he was curious to see who she was visiting, Itachi thought to take in her appearance before she noticed his presence. Any photo or video he had seen of Namikaze Usagi did not properly portray her image in-person. From their one brief video chat he had thought her childish looking and simple. Naruto's phone resolution was worse than he had thought, because those notions were utterly incorrect. Her frame was thin but one could tell it was from starvation, as otherwise her skin was naturally tan and legs muscular like that of an athlete. She was tall for her age, although not nearly as tall as him, perhaps the top of her head would reach his collar bone. The oddly fitting pigtails were still there, but now he could see they were carefully tied by ribbons of black lace; they looked very neat despite the rough fashion of frayed shorts (in the snow?) and Led Zeppelin band hoodie. Usagi turned her face Itachi's way slightly to look at a spot of moss on the tombstone, revealing her sharp Victorian features but soft, large cerulean eyes surrounded in thick, blonde tipped eyelashes. No make-up; it wasn't necessary.

Even for someone who grew up in an asiacentric household, Itachi thought Usagi was pretty. Perhaps even beautiful, given a few more years and a gain of twenty pounds or so.

The analysis was cut short when Usagi finally saw him from her peripheral vision. Her expression was surprised momentarily as she looked as if she might say something, but then it was replaced with an unreadable look before finally saying in Japanese, "It's about damn time, Major Dick. Pick up a rag and help me." She gestured to a plastic convenience store bag laying in the dirt path that had been cleared of snow before resuming her cleaning, the opening from which Itachi spotted washcloths and food items. Beside her knees was a public bathhouse pan filled with soap and water. Not wanting to ruffle her feathers anymore before he made his case, and being grateful for the sign of goodwill, Itachi made his way toward the bag when he finally saw the names on the joint tombstones. The CEO froze.**  
****  
**_Namikaze Minato_ and _Uzumaki Kushina_

Usagi was allowing him near her parents' graves? To clean them even? Perhaps, having lived in the States since such a young age, she did not know the significance of who cleans whose graves. He doubted she would be so ignorant. What was she trying to say? Uchiha Itachi figured then that he was being tested and would have to tread carefully to prove himself. "...Am I allowed? It's not Ohakamairi, and I have no kaimyo or offering..."

With the same unreadable voice as before she answered, "I have offerings you can use unless you would rather leave. You could do that, too. Won't hurt my feelings any."

**"**No," Itachi said, "I would prefer to stay." The intention was definitive, but it came out as bland as all his statements. It was something he had trained himself to do years ago. Whether or not she could hear any conviction in his voice, he hoped at the very least she could see it in his actions. Retrieving a peach colored washcloth from the bag then dipping it into the bathhouse pan, Itachi began cleaning Kushina's grave. As he worked black grime stained the cloth, giving way to the granite stone underneath. Moss and vines deprived of their foliage for the winter months climbed up the sides. They would need to be torn away. "They look like they haven't been cleaned in quite a while. Does Naruto ever come here?"

**"**Graves are too depressing for Naruto. He pays his respects in other ways..." Usagi let her sentence trail off, pink lips pressing together in such a way that said she would rather not say more on the subject. He decided he would wait until she was ready to say whatever it was she wanted. They spent the better part of thirty minutes in silence, only cleaning and tearing apart weeds that had survived the harsh frigid weather. Eventually after the dirt and debris were dealt with, Usagi pulled the plastic bag towards herself and tossed to Itachi from it a bag of Jalapeno flavored potato chips. Now his open stare was obvious to her a sign of confusion, to which she commented, "Jiraiya said those were Mom's favorite. There's incense in here, too."

With a quirk of his eyebrow he retrieved said incense and lit it, making the obligatory gestures and prayer for an offering, which is what he assumed she was getting at. The smell of lavender and spice spread, and Itachi knew the smoke would linger on his clothes for days. After he finished with the ritual - curious as to why she would do it at all - he noticed food still left in the bag. "Who liked melon milk?" he asked jovially to which he was answered with a short and sweet, "It's mine. American convenience stores suck." Usagi placed a red Rome apple on Minato's grave.

Several minutes again went by until finally she seemed satisfied enough to sit in the path facing Itachi, legs tucked inside her hoodie. "I brought you here Major Dick because you apparently want to atone or some superstitious BS like that. If that's what you want then take it up with them," she roughly jerked her head towards her parents' tombstones, "but it has nothing to do with me."

Well this was not what Itachi expected to happen. "You say I'm being superstitious but you want me to talk to ashes and blocks of granite? Exactly what do you believe, Namikaze?"

**"**I believe you think I can save you from yourself," she retorted sharply, "But guess what, bucko! If you think redemption comes in a confessional then you're looking for religion. In case you didn't read that chapter, anti-statism and religion don't exactly mix." The teenage girl was frustrated and angry and probably very frightened inside and looked to be having trouble keeping it there whereas she had done so well for the past hour. It was starting to show itself now in the way her shoulders rose and face pinched. Itachi found it difficult to think of her as a petulant teenager, however. Usagi had just a moment ago been so perceptive and showed wisdom beyond her years, even if it was hidden by spite. Itachi realized that he had probably gone too far by referring to what was left of her parents just "ashes and granite".

**"**I owe you the truth. You may call that redemption if you wish but that was not my intention."

**"**Well go on then! Spill your self-serving guts if you want." Her face was still pinched and painful, so she looked away from him, "Just do it over there!"

There were a few minutes that he just stared at the girl. Whether or not he realized it himself, Itachi was a deeply empathetic person. They had just met this week but seeing her pain made him think of the pain he had probably caused to countless others; he relived the pain each memory brought him. By now the light of the sun could no longer be seen over Mount Osuzu and the temperature had dropped to unbearably freezing. The warm smoke lifting from the sticks of incense provided some relief, but the added nip told that snow would be falling by morning. He watched her shake but did not know if it was from the cold or oncoming angry tears he could see. It truly bothered her conscience to be here with Uchiha Itachi the CEO.

Perhaps he could help her become more comfortable with just Itachi the human being.

Before turning to the husband and wife tombstones, Itachi removed his trench coat and laid it gingerly on Usagi's lap. He did not see her open gape because he was bowing in the traditional style for grave apology: both knees and nose to the ground. Itachi knew that in the months and years that had passed he had humiliated himself in many ways, but none so worth the embarrassment. He spoke in English, the language of Minato and Kushina's homelands.

**"**You and your children have suffered much because of my family. There is no one left alive that can count all the transgressions but myself, so I have chosen to assist in bringing about the world that you imagined." Taking a deep but silent breath, Itachi steeled himself to recount all that he could remember aloud. All the things Madara made him do but Itachi did not have the courage to protest... pay for several hit men for assassinations, blackmail countless businesses and journalists, sell weapons to dictators and warlords, even trafficked illegal drugs to countries that couldn't even afford to feed themselves. Itachi had dined with thousands of corrupt politicians and greedy corporate leaders, all begging for benefits from Uchiha Corp. Many of them received what they asked for, none were beneficial to their constituents, consumers, or employees. Itachi told Usagi and her parents briefly of all these things.

Delicately, a soft question arose from behind him, "What made you want to change?" The unexpected query led Itachi's coal black eyes to his left, where they met with Usagi's imploring sky ones. He was surprised to find her wrapped in his trench coat, having expected her to toss it aside. Instead of answering her directly, which even he felt would be awkward, he sat up and looked back at the ever-listening stones.

"Minato, the book you gave your daughter found its way to me in the strangest of ways. When I read it I felt that your ambitions were only plausible, but... your will lives so strongly in your daughter that by reading her additions to your words I knew it was all possible."

Were Itachi to look up in that moment he would find the younger girl buried in his trench coat blushing. Usagi regained her composure quickly and asks with the tenacity of a journalist, "Uchiha Madara... he's the real leader behind Uchiha Corporation?" **"**Yes. He's... the person who orchestrated killing the Uchiha family." He did not wait for her gasp to conclude before he continued. "Madara staged a car accident on the day of Uchiwa no matsuri. The wreck itself killed several people, but the survivors were killed by hit men my uncle hired. Madara kept me alive because my father left the company to me in his will and specifically wrote Madara out. ...Sasuke was spared as well... as blackmail, to keep me in line." Itachi fought not to suck in a sharp breath himself. "Sasuke just thinks it was a horrible traffic accident. I've done everything to keep him safe but... last night he came home and said he would call the police on me." Itachi chuckled humorlessly. "He even threatened me not to come see you. If I can save him from the world Madara probably wants to create, then I suppose losing him this way is the best I can hope for."

Things were so still and silent that one might think Usagi fell asleep or left until Usagi surprised Itachi by appearing right beside him with a melon milk. "Duckbutt is a fucking idiot," she declared as-a-matter-of-fact before she shoved the glass bottle into his hands. She sat so close to his left that he tried looking at her face but only saw the crown of her golden head. By staring at her parents' names carved in stone she seemed to be conversing with herself, perhaps pretending in her heart that she was delegating with the two people that brought her into this broken world. A conclusion was reached, as she turned her head up to Itachi and smiled just enough to disarm the young Japanese man. "When I was really little, I heard Mom tell Dad that all their friends were enemies. When I was old enough to care I asked Jiraiya what she meant... he said it meant they were masters of 'forgive and forget'. It's probably why they died but... Iruka hated them when they became co-workers. If they hadn't had befriended him who knows who Naruto's godparent would have been." Sneakily she tugged on his ponytail (is that something Americans did? He had always been taught to keep his hands to himself) before adding, "I think they would have liked you, Major Dick."

The young man's heart shuddered and broke inside and he knew that for now he did not have the heart to tell her how her father had actually died. Usagi knew he had been murdered but... Jiraiya had informed Itachi that he had always lied to her, told her that investigators never found out who did the deed. For now he would keep Jiraiya's secret safe. Eventually, however, he would certainly gain the courage to give her the entire truth. For now he wold have to concentrate on first forming an alliance with the teenage American girl.

"I want to know about _you,_" he therefore insisted.

**"**...hmmm. I believe you care for Sasuke and that's enough. Really doesn't matter what I think, anyway. Unless there's a fire fight or a music video I'm pretty useless."

Odd. Those were certainly two completely different things.

**"**Isn't every person necessary, Namikaze? Didn't you say that in response to Minato's refute to eugenics?" Itachi stood, deciding it was late. He had a feeling Usagi had not told her family where she was going or how late she would be out. This went unspoken, but he felt that he had some semblance of her trust now; they were not enemies in her eyes any longer. They had a mutual understanding that they could rely on each other as allies in the future, something of which everyone in the movement could use. Itachi held his hand out to the girl still sitting in the dirt path, now huddled in his coat like an igloo, "Can I give you a ride to your home? I'm sure it's a long walk from here." She let him help her up then quickly let go of his hand.

**'**No' would have been a more predictable response than what the blonde came up with.

**"**On one condition. This time I want to make a deal," she stated surely. Now that he could see her face again, he was amazed by the sudden determination adorning it. All her emotions were so visible and open. This was a covenant she would not let him refuse. "Everything you do, everywhere you go concerning this movement, I want to know about it. I might trust you now more than I did five minutes ago but still not enough to completely let you off the hook." Leaning on her tiptoes into him leaving their faces only inches apart she nearly hissed, "If you sabotage or betray us I'll make sure I'm the first one with a Uchiwa .45 pistol to your balls. Non-aggression principle be damned."

**"**I understand," Itachi deadpanned expressionlessly, although inside her vulgar threat had him feeling very strange, "And I agree to your terms. So I am to contact you then?" She pushed off his chest, face flushed. Perhaps the cold was too much for Usagi, even with the extra winter-wear. Who wore shorts at this time of year anyway? Itachi thought he should really get the frail girl home soon before her immune system was affected. Without warning she picked up her remaining melon milk and cleaning supplies, and began waddling down the path towards the shrine entrance. Refusing yet again to look his way for whatever reason, Usagi called out over her shoulder to him, "DUH! You have my number if you know how to use a phone. Just don't say anything important over the line since it's not safe." Although she couldn't see it he nodded in understanding and followed after her in silence with his own unopened melon milk until he realized something.

**"**I should lead. You don't even know which car is mine."

**"**DUCK DUCK GOOSE MOTHER FUCKER."

What was that even supposed to mean?

Uchiha Itachi was now aware of the fact that Namikaze Usagi was probably one of the most interesting people he had ever met.

Simultaneously, Uchiha Itachi was not yet aware he had just made the best deal of his life.

/

Itachi dropped Usagi off a few blocks from her house as Itachi had warned her that Naruto would flip his lid if he saw them together this late at night, regardless of the circumstances. The last thing either of them wanted - they agreed - was to cause unrest when their own relations were still so uncertain. Usagi returned Itachi's trench coat upon exiting, as it would only cause more suspicion. Once inside everyone quizzed her about her whereabouts - especially Sasuke who apparently was moving into Iruka's house (go figure) - to which she consistently answered that she went grave cleaning. No need to lie.

The three teenagers prepared for sleep. This time Naruto claimed the bed for himself leaving his sister and best-friend to fight over who got what sheets and where to make their pallets. In the end they decided to share a comforter for cushion, having their own covers on top. Usagi didn't know how she felt about sleeping beside Sasuke considering the huge bomb of a secret she had learned today. Part of her had always feared sleep-talking out vital information. Another part of her wanted to scold Sasuke for not giving Itachi a chance to explain himself. The smart side of her stayed hush-hush, turned away from Sasuke in her sleep. When Aniki was ready to tell Baby Sasuke he would and that was up to him alone.

Later in the night she would be awoken by her phone beeping, and a simple message from 'MajorDickthePrick' reading,

_Thank you._

/

This took several weeks longer than I had originally thought. However, through all the writer's block and the phrase rage I am actually pleased how this chapter came out of the most part. The last two sections are especially pleasing to me considering I've been trying to figure out what exactly Itachi and Usagi had to say to one another without making it too cardboard.

There's a LOT of culture specific information in this chapter. If you need help figuring any of it out you can either Google it or shoot me a PM. Both are welcome.

Reviews are cool if you want. I'm honestly going to do my own thing either way.

NEXT CHAPTER: Usagi attends her first day at school and something is done about those dreadful tanks.


	8. Fraternization

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

Friday came in a flurry of snow and noodles. Iruka was none too pleased to find the youngest Uchiha boy in his home again with a large bag. It looked suspiciously like something used for the purpose of staying somewhere extended periods of time. Sasuke could stay, but Iruka would be having a guardian-teacher conference with his brother. No one, especially Sasuke, took this threat seriously. Strangely enough, Naruto's cell phone buzzed all morning and every buzz preluded a giggle. Usagi knew her twin had something planned but she couldn't pry the information from him. Eventually the boys left early for school to avoid Iruka's nagging. "Don't make any plans for tonight," Sasuke told her cryptically half-way through the door, "and wear something decent." She shot him the bird, never liking being told what to do. He returned the gesture, never liking being on the receiving end.

Usagi did not begin classes until Monday, leaving her alone with Jiraiya and Iruka for the morning. The two adults drank their coffee in the kitchen as they discussed Naruto, who had been hanging out around Jiraiya a bit the past few days which the more responsible of the two godparents did not like. Apparently Iruka had found some of Jiraiya's smut in the whiskered boy's laundry basket. Jiraiya assured him that he had not supplied the reading material (a lie, Usagi knew) and reminded the home economics teacher that he would be leaving soon regardless. A comforting thought to Iruka, indeed. Usagi died a little on the inside thinking about being left under Iruka's care. He was a good man, but an annoyingly conformist one.

Whenever Iruka actually left to teach, Jiraiya went about his own business doing... whatever, leaving Usagi by herself to play video games and think. Yesterday she had agreed to meet Uchiha Itachi imagining a trap or worse, a man completely broken in spirit and purpose. Usagi didn't think she could tolerate someone who needed guiding when she herself was often just as lost. In fact, she hadn't even planned on giving him a chance to speak, but she wasn't that cruel and Itachi didn't need anyone to tell him anything after all. He already had his goals and convictions; Usagi saw that he just needed a comrade in his lonely world. Usagi's view of Itachi took a complete 180 turn, so her camaraderie she was willing to give. Now that she had met with him, all those contradictions in his personality from before... she understood them. She believed him.

Even so, she was surprised with herself for her understanding and vulnerability... and her starring. Itachi was better looking in person than she thought! ...Still objectively speaking, of course. Right? He was muscular and lithe and really tall and... man, he looked like he took better care of his hair than any girl Usagi had ever known. One might be tempted to call him feminine, but that only really applied to his long hair and eyelashes. His skin was a little pale, though, like he didn't get out much, and she thought the Uchiha would look so much better (if possible) if he would just smile... at all. While Usagi was embarrassed of her sixteen year-old girl thoughts, she liked to give credit where it was due.

Itachi was hot and genius smart... which was hot. That was all. Usagi didn't make a habit of blindly pursuing every guy she thought was attractive. Actually, the mysterious archetype was definitely unattractive to Usagi. Hence, why she never accepted Sasuke's love letter (she wasn't stupid, she knew exactly what that individual letter he sent her was, however coded). Although the Uchiha brothers were nothing alike, Itachi was still too polite and reserved to the point that Usagi didn't think anyone actually knew Itachi, even his only little brother. What would he be like if he let his guard down a little more? Compassionate? Ornery? Shy? Passionate? The blonde doubted she would ever get to see the "real" Uchiha Itachi.

Then again, Itachi was a sad case because when one is loaded with cash no one really actually cares about the person behind all the wealth. From this day forward she challenged herself to learn everything she could about the expressionless man. Every behavior she witnessed would be catalogued and analyzed until she knew him better than he even knew himself. With all the things she already knew - which was a lot considering the time span since she had discovered his existence - this endeavor may not be much of a challenge after all. Itachi valued family, thought and felt deeply (about what exactly was unknown), and essentially was a glutton for punishment. Perhaps getting him to smile would be the better challenge.

The morning came and went in this solitude as Usagi ate everything in sight. When the economy went down south in the United States food became unaffordable nearly overnight. She was already thin because of that... but it was the escape that made her sickly looking. Gaining the weight she had lost was pretty high on her priority list. The cupboards lay bare by noon. Usagi felt satisfied enough that after practicing some dance routines until 1:30, she decided to shower and comply with Sasuke's suggestion to wear something "decent", which she translated as black sweater-dress with a white skull.

There. Decent. For whatever the occasion.

She swore that if this was his way of asking her on a date she would barf on his stupid duck hair. No joke.

A few more hours were spent sleeping on the couch, finally awoken by her beeping phone. Fishing it from her bra she read aloud to herself, "Come to the backyard, Sis~!" This definitely wasn't a date. What a relief! However, she didn't remember anything being in the minish backyard except an old sandbox and a couple of lawn chairs. Finding it difficult to get up from the couch any normal way, Usagi rolled off it onto the floor, pushing herself up from there. Then walking warily towards the french doors leading to the backyard, she opened both at once...

"WELCOME HOME NARUKO~!"

A group of twelve unidentifiable people either held a large paper sign reading the same greeting or tossed confetti. In the forefront of this group was her stupidly grinning brother and the two friends she knew, Sakura and Sasuke. The initial shock of the surprise wore off as the remaining confetti fell to the snow-covered grass below. "A-are these all your friends, Bro?" All these people came here to meet his sister? Was Naruto really that popular now? Everyone came inside and there was music and video games and food and laughter. As the night went on all the unknowns were introduced by a very proud and hyper Naruto, although her new "legal" name was used. His friends were as varied and unique as all the people that existed on Earth.

There was Yamanaka Ino, real-life Barbie doll with her platinum blonde hair and sultry blue eyes, and Sakura's best girlfriend. She had lived in Japan all her life but her father was a retired soldier from Norway that now owned a flower shop. The entire night she had been very clingy on either Sasuke or Nara Shikamaru, a lazy boy that slept more than he socialized. His father was apparently a genius professional shogi player, and had passed his high IQ onto his son. Usagi challenged genius junior to a game of Go which turned out a humiliating but respectable defeat for the guest of honor. Also stuck to Shikamaru's side was Akimichi Chouji, a very large and somewhat shy boy that barely spent any time outside of his bag of potato chips. His father was a food critic that worked for the_ Konohagakure Shinbun_, the city's newspaper. All three were abundantly proud of their fathers, but the mothers were not mentioned.

Then there was the Hyuuga cousins with the strange milky-white eyes: Neji and Hinata. Barely an hour after the party began Sasuke and Neji broke out into a fight in the kitchen over who-knows-what. There was no winner, only a broken nose and a black eye respectively. Naruto became peacekeeper and would later tell Usagi that Neji was very pompous and nationalistic (Naruto used the term "gaijin-hater"), thus was conflicted about where his loyalties lied: with his immediate peers or his country. This was probably due to the Hyuuga family being - like the Uchiha - the wealthy descendants of a feudal Japanese clan. The nearest city to the north and the sea just off the coast were even named after this family. Hinata, however, was a completely different story: she was very shy but sweet and beautiful and so obviously thought the world of Naruto. Unfortunately, Usagi knew that hooking them up would bring the wrath of her very powerful family upon them, but if it were within the girl's power she would help Hinata's love become requited without thinking twice. The pale, stuttering beauty was Usagi's favorite new friend.

The Sabaku siblings that Naruto had once mentioned in a letter were there: Kankuro, Temari, and Gaara. They played soccer for Kaze Junior High when the blonde boy had played for Konoha Junior High; one day their teams played against one another. The Kaze team had been told to cheat. When they were caught doing so Naruto became a diplomat and convinced the referee to reset the game instead of defaulting the match all together. The siblings had appreciated the show of mercy so Gaara and Naruto had been good friends ever since. Their family originally lived in Death Valley, California before their mother died in childbirth and their father disappeared mysteriously. Now they were looked after by a family friend named Baki.

Inuzuka Kiba was a funny, exciting guy. Almost every word he spoke made her laugh. The Inuzuka family hailed from Colombia originally and joined the United States army before Kiba was born. His mother was retired now and owned a veterinary clinic just up the road, but his father was still in the military, currently stationed in Egypt. Kiba's dog, Akamaru, was almost bigger than Usagi! Apparently Naruto and Sasuke had used her real name in front of this boy, so she had to play "Usagi" off as a cute nickname they gave her; he laughed and said it fit. However entertaining he was with his painted face and excellent soccer skills, there were two things seriously wrong with Kiba: one he hero worshipped soldiers and two it was extremely obvious he was hitting on her. Especially after it was established that by no means did Sasuke have any sort of claim to her (how that one had gotten spread around Usagi did not want to know). Usagi ended conversation with Kiba fairly quickly after asking her on a "dog-walk", instead opting to converse with his friend Aburame Shino... who was just plain strange. He wore glasses indoors and whispered to his sleeves.

Having effectively been freaked out by Shino, Usagi played DDR with Rock Lee, a boy from China who was also very strange, but tolerably so. He was obsessed with the phrase "youth", especially in expressing his undying love for Sakura, whom frankly looked to prefer making-out with Gamabunta. Rock Lee gave the dancer a run for her money - his legs were quick! - but in the end she won every set. Usagi decided that despite his eccentricities, she very much liked Rock Lee for his honesty and humility, yet competitive nature. Also from China was a girl named TenTen. She was, if possible, more a tomboy than Usagi but also compassionate and common-sensed. Tenten took club martial-arts with Neji and Rock Lee, and all three were upperclassmen.

During mid-afternoon Iruka came home and nearly had a hernia. Instead of fighting the horde of students in his home, however, he made some green tea and took a few sleeping pills before retiring to his room for the night. Just before dark Neji and Hinata left, giving no clear reason as to why. Hinata's downcast eyes gleamed of disappointment and loneliness making Usagi want to fight for her ability to stay. Sakura warned her that the Hinata's father was very strict - it was a miracle they were allowed to come at all - so it was just best to let them go. The Hyuugas' leave prompted the Sabaku siblings to return home as well with the legitimate reason of having a longer train ride home and school in the morning. The remaining party-goers played card games like the Japanese Buta no shippo and the American Bullshit and sang karaoke from memory until one in the morning. Every blanket in the house was tossed on the living room floor. There the group of ten slept. The next morning - Saturday - they all awoke and readied for school together, leaving the female twin to wave them off with a smile.

"Bye, Sis! Love you!"  
"Yeah. Bye, Stupid."  
"don'tworrywereleavingnow. Bye... Naruko."  
"MAY THE POWER OF YOUTH KEEP YOU 'TIL WE MEET AGAIN MY NEW FRIEND, THE YOUTHFUL DANCING QUEEN."  
"Lee... it's too early to be so loud."  
"MUNCH MUNCH"  
"Walking is so troublesome..."  
"Oh hush, Shikamaru! Forehead is up to something..."  
"Hey, Sasuke~"  
"Akamaru, stop sniffing her there! So uh... about that walk-"  
"No. Go."

Usagi was very happy to have made so many new friends. School seemed much less imposing now that she knew so many agreeable people would be there. Slowly, Usagi was forgetting what it was like to have to watch her back and fight. This life in Japan was too good to be true, but she hoped this bliss didn't end.

Otherwise Saturday was rather uneventful compared to Friday; Usagi rediscovered the miracle of the internet and used it to gain dance routine inspiration. On Sunday the teenagers tried to sleep in but failed so changed plans. The snow was not falling this day, so they would meet Sakura at Ichiraku Ramen to attempt to teach Usagi her way around town. This plan also failed because the moment they reached the ramen stall Sakura texted Sasuke something unknown to the twins, and the raven-haired boy marched off wordlessly. Naruto mindlessly followed his best friend, leaving his inattentive sister engrossed in her delicious, hand-made ramen. When Usagi finished with her gigantic bowl to discover herself abandoned she simply sighed and ordered another bowl. Eventually those two idiots would come back and when they did not only were they paying for her meal, they would piggyback her home like a princess. Until then she would keep eating more and more bowls off Naruto's tab.

On the fourth bowl an annoying high-pitched girly Japanese voice made her choke briefly on a fishcake. "Oooh, Itachi-love~ You work so hard all week! Isn't it wonderful that we can meet like this every Sunday?"

"No," replied a deep, gruff voice, "No it is not." It sounded muffled, like it was being said far from her. Still slurping noodles from her huge ramen bowl, Usagi spun her bar stool around to look through the entrance flaps of the stall. Jogging down the sidewalk was the one and only Uchiha Itachi. Following closely behind him - so close his heels were being stepped on - was an absolutely beautiful Japanese woman. Nearly everything about her was perfect... The sort of woman that made the rarely self-conscience Usagi want to crawl under the ramen counter and never be seen again.

First entry into the Itachi Uchiha Files: He preferred the company of supermodels. Go figure.

As they approached Itachi spotted Usagi... still slurping noodles like an idiot. "Ah, Namikaze." Itachi slowed to a stop in front of Usagi, leaving the girl bumping into his back looking confused, especially when he began speaking English, "I wouldn't expect you to be out by yourself."

Usagi replaced her bowl on the counter then twirled back around to face the CEO, likewise sticking with English. "Well I wouldn't expect you to be out on a date, Major Dick," she retorted. "Nice matching jumpsuits, by the way. Adorable." There she went again, using sarcasm as a coping mechanism. How charming. Itachi's face was positively sour in response, "We take Kendo together, unfortunately. Hisame and I are definitely not dating." So Hisame was the woman's name? Well, Hisame chose that moment to interrupt their conversation with another shriek of Japanese, "Who's your friend, Itachi-babe? I wanna knooooooow."

Usagi looked back and forth between Itachi and Hisame two, three times. Scratch the last entry: Itachi apparently had different criteria in women than previously believed. What were the characteristics he preferred, though? Wait... was it possible he preferred men?

...Nah.

"OH! I get it." Any insecurities Usagi had vanished as the situation became transparent. This goddess was stalking Itachi, who was in any case not interested. If she had to guess, he didn't like Hisame's lack of intelligence and shrill voice. The devil that took residence inside Usagi's body sprouted its ugly head then, manifested in an evil grin. "You wouldn't happen to need help getting rid of her would you? Because I can help you... if you really trust me."Itachi didn't even need to think about his answer, "Yes. Please."

Usagi stood from her stool then and sweetly strolled over, whole demeanor changed. To anyone else she would appear as a girl with her lover, her small hands holding his larger one, garnished with an innocent peck on his right cheek. She could feel every muscle in his body tense up at the contact. His reaction, although subtle, was funny in a telling way. Entry two: Itachi definitely preferred women.

In the worst Japanese she could fake, Usagi slurred towards Hisame, "You be Itachi's friend? Always you nice meet." Poor Hisame's jaw dropped the moment Usagi and Itachi's fingers connected. They expected silent tears or even a flurry of indignant accusations. Instead Hisame gasped while covering her shapely lips with her hands, followed by sincere stammering, "OH ITACHI! I am _so_ sorry! I had no idea you had a girlfriend... s-she's so _cute_! H-how... how long have you...?"

Entry three: Itachi caught on to ruses immediately. Also, he was a top grade actor.

"Two months tomorrow. I am sorry you had to be let down like this, Hisame, but I've been trying to tell you for weeks now." It was so obvious to Usagi how not sorry he was that she had to fight back a laugh. She continued clinging to his hand and placed her head on his arm, pretending their words were garble to her. "Excuse me a moment. Catherine is from the UK and still learning Japanese." Hisame nodded eagerly in understanding, hanging on every word as if it would allow her to understand the English he spoke to Usagi next, "Was the kiss really necessary?"

"Look, do you want her to leave you be or not, Major Dick? Because I can make a scene and 'break up' with you right now." The trickster blonde smiled sweetly as she said this, stepping up on her tiptoes to be closer to Itachi's face. The action served the dual purpose of maintaining the head-over-heels lover image and also intimidating Itachi... if possible. If not it was at the very least entertaining.

"No, that would be rash. I want her gone."

"U-umm... Itachi..." Hisame interrupted again. When she had his attention (and unknowingly Usagi's as well) she continued, "Maybe I'm totally out of line, but like... are you sure it's okay for you two to be together?"

"I'm sorry? I'm not sure I understand," Itachi said. Usagi could see Itachi's eyebrows minutely pinch. It was so slight that she thought she might have imagined it. Had she always been this attuned to her surroundings?

"Well uhh... she's white, right? Couldn't that like, hurt your company's reputation? Your uncle gave this awesome speech last night on politics and stuff. He said that its totally foreigners' fault the economy is so bad right now, and like it has to be true, right? They wouldn't let him on TV if it wasn't true!"

Now the Caucasian in question felt her own hands begin to shake even through her fake smile of blissful ignorance, Itachi's response to which was to more tightly hold her hands in his one. Usagi could feel the arm's muscles under her face contract from the action. They weren't actually even close to dating, but that didn't stop them from feeling mutual rage spawned from this girl's stupidity. Usagi no longer felt any envy for Hisame whatsoever; Usagi had truth and reason on her side, and that was more valuable than anything some airhead had to offer. Instead of wasting his time explaining to Hisame in all the ways how wrong her words were, Itachi said icily, "You would be wise to discontinue any political activities you practice, Hisame. Now I think we would appreciate if you left us."

Entry four: Itachi was considerate.

"But... - I didn't mean-"

"Go." And so the would-be supermodel left with sullen, rejected features, retreating back the way she and the Uchiha had come. The very second she disappeared from their sight, the "love-birds" separated a good three meters apart. A safe, not awkward distance. The stupid smile Usagi wore before lowered into a stony scowl. "So that's Madara's political strategy, huh? Separate the races? How very classy."

"Japan has blamed gaijin since World War II. You should know this. Madara is just feeding off that prejudice for his campaign." Itachi explained still in English, rubbing the shadows under his eyes as if to emphasize the stress this knowledge brought upon him. Then he cleared his throat and praised, "Regardless, you were brilliant just now, Namikaze. Thank you."

"Ah, it's no biggie..." Usagi scratched her nose to hide her blush, having never been good at accepting compliments. "I'm just good at bullshitting. Actually, it got me expelled from middle sch-"

"ITACHI!" Both in conversation looked the way Hisame had gone earlier to find a red-faced, squat little ancient Japanese man jerking his fist to the left where others were running. They all were wearing the same exercise uniforms as Itachi and Hisame. They looked... elitist. "QUIT FLIRTING AND GET BACK TO WORK."

The young man made a 'tsk'-ing sort of sound and muttered "Izumo's going to beat my time..." Entry five: Itachi was competitive. Nice. Bowing to his female company, he told her, "Thanks again. We'll talk again soon...?"

"Yeah, definitely," she smiled genuinely, which was returned with a smirk; then he was off, jogging casually to meet with the old man, then bursting into a sprint to catch up. Usagi stood there a few moments, smiling at the place he had occupied like a doofus before she realized something dire. Sasuke and Naruto never came back for her! "Hey, WAIT! I don't know my way home!" Itachi was already long gone. "Aw, FUCK!"

It would be much later that day when the boys would return with Sakura. Usagi had her head laid in her arms, body surrounded by ramen bowls and no money on the counter.

/

Monday came and Usagi struggled to be ready in time to walk to school with Naruto and Sasuke. The butterflies in her belly would not let up. She had not been to an educational institution since seventh grade, when she had been expelled for faking a broken leg to break into the nurse's office and retrieve a friend's set of brass knuckles. Obviously she had been caught lying, stealing, skipping class, and in possession of a "deadly weapon". Also, uniforms were just not a thing in the Southern United States. The stiff, starchy fabric the skinny girl received from Iruka that morning felt awkward and stifling, not to mention what uniforms represented directly clashed with her personal ideals on individuality.

"Just spice it up like I do, Sis," Naruto suggested, "You won't get in trouble, believe it!" He helped her by telling her what would work; they agreed on her funky looking kneesocks with blood splatters and bats and he informed her the tie wasn't necessary, so she replaced the offending strip of fabric with a lace choker and left her blouse half open. The shirt sizes the school offered her not big enough for her boobs and shoulders, unfortunately. There was also a school issued sweater but she chose to opt out, instead donning her hoodie. The changes made her slightly more comfortable.

Inside the opulent school building, Naruto showed Usagi how the shoe lockers worked, then parted ways Sasuke, much to the female twin's confusion. The three of them were in class B-5 together, so why would they split up? The siblings went through several upperclassmen hallways until Naruto saw fit to stop in one with wall-sized windows making up one side, and photos plastering the other. Without warning her brother bowed towards this wall. This action begged attention to what lie on the wall, and upon investigating Usagi began to cry. It was one of the most beautiful things she had ever see in her life. Naruto stopped bowing and held his sister as she cried.

There were pictures of Minato doing nearly everything: teaching, posing, leading field-trips, spacing out, eating lunch, singing karaoke. Kushina even accompanied him in some photos. One in particular stood out where the both of them were in cosplay for what Usagi assumed was Konoha Senior High's culture festival, infant Naruto and Usagi holding tightly to their parents' clothes. For the first time in Usagi's life she got to see how her parents actually lived, not just what they left the world in death. They had been happy, involved people.

"I come here every morning," her brother explained in rare calm, "I thought you might like to see it. Dad was really liked here. Students that didn't even know him come to this place to bring offerings." He gestured to the folded squares of paper and flowers lining the floor underneath the makeshift shrine. There were even foreign movie posters and boxes of foodstuffs. Then he nodded to a sheet of calligraphic kanji bordering the many photographs. There were others as well, all with their own unique handwriting. "All these are supposed to describe him but I've never been able to read this one..." Usagi swallowed before choking out the meaning and burying her face in her hands from the pure emotion it elicited.

"Kyuuseishu (savior). It means kyuuseishu." Someone had felt so strongly about what the twins' father's philosophies had done for their life that they had credited their existence to his actions. The calligraphies were old ones, meaning the school had supported these being here for many years. This school was earning more of her respect each day.

When Usagi finished with her tears Naruto led her to homeroom, sophomore class B-5. Some friends from the party were there, but no teacher. The period bell rang, then the late bell, and still no teacher. None of the students seemed to care as they had noticed Usagi right away and crowded the desk she chose to sit in, commenting on her rather than speaking with her. Usagi had a nice conversation with Hinata and Sakura about the teachers, though, and Shino attempted to join. He was muttering so no one really knew what he was saying. The class was rowdy as a whole to the point that a rustic looking, tan man smoking a cigarette stuck his head through the sliding door and demanded, "Hatake isn't here yet, but that doesn't mean you crazy kids can do whatever. Do homework or something. You know the drill." The cigarette never left his mouth as he spoke. One girl said he was Sarutobi Asuma, the science teacher and son of the headmaster.

Eventually, when homeroom was halfway over, the teacher arrived. Hatake Kakashi was the classical literature teacher; a tall, lanky man in his thirties with odd white hair and a... face mask? Was he sick? Is that why he was late? There were no explanations for Usagi from her peers, but by the ridiculous excuse he gave ("Sorry guys, I saved a duckling from drowning in the sewers this morning") and the violent wave of accusation ("LIAR!") from the entire class suggested to her that perhaps this was a common occurrence. He calmed the raging class before introducing "Uzumaki Naruko", boredly asking her to say some things about herself.

Everyone wanted to know why they had never met Naruto's twin sister before. What was she suppose to tell them? 'Oh hey guys, Namikaze Usagi is my real name and I'm a rebel refugee in hiding from the United States government and my good friend's uncle. I don't know why we were separated in childhood other than our parents are dead and no one would take us both in. I read Socrates and Freud on the weekends and I'm pretty decent with a Mosin Nagant.' Yes, that was a delightfully optimistic way to make her mark. Keeping it simple, Usagi opted for this instead: "I'm Naruto's fraternal twin. I like dancing and music aaaand uh... reading? My blood type is A positive and my zodiac says I have split personalities." Everyone looked up at her with wide-eyed, undivided attention, expecting more. Awkward, much. "Can I sit down now, teach?"

"Well... I think your new classmates may have some questions for you. Let's do that for the rest of the class period."

Ugh. "Okay..." Some twenty-something hands must have shot up then. Joy. "You in the back, with the uh... bolo tie? Seriously?"

"If you're Naruto's twin sister, then how come we've never met you before?" Jesus. Fuckin'. Christ. Could this kid read her mind?!

"I'm the evil twin. The girl up front with way too much make-up. Go."

"Are you dating Sasuke?"

"FUCK NO! Where do you people keep hearing this?" There was a collective sigh of relief from almost every girl in class. "Okay, ummm... you with the facial hair."

"What kinda guy are you into, then? Couldn't be any normal fella." What the hell was that supposed to mean? In any case she was not looking to date anyone anytime soon, especially after what had happen to her last boyfriend. Alec hadn't even been someone she would "be into"; he was just there at a time she was bored. The sentiment had been mutual on his end. If she had to describe her perfect partner - man or woman - they would smile when she beat them at video games, or at least not gloat when they won. They could keep their calm in situations where she could not, even if they were just as afraid. If Usagi said or did something inappropriate, they would understand what she really meant. Her ideal partner would value self-responsibility, empathy, free-thought, and humanity. Usagi in the past thought that a person like this could never exist, but then she fought a blush when she thought of someone in particular who fit most of her criteria... no. No. NO.

"Not you. Does anyone have a question that's not intrusive?" Usagi sighed exasperatedly, "Like... I dunno, my bra size or something?" All the girls and some guys put their hands down. Kakashi put his hand up, not so bored now. Usagi fought the urge to face-palm. She had forgotten sarcasm was not a thing in the Japanese language, at least not the same as in English. Before she got the chance to pick another person and hope for better questions, Sasuke spoke up.

"She won't actually tell you, you idiots, because she's being sarcastic."  
"Hey, thanks Duckbu-"  
"But she's 28C."  
"TEME! I NEVER SHOULD HAVE LET YOU DO THE LAUNDRY!"  
"And for those who are wondering, she's not a virgin, either."  
"WHAT THE FUCK SASUKE? IS THIS REALLY NECESSARY?"

Both twins surrounded the offending Uchiha's and flipped it over with his stupid smirking buttface in it the entire way. A brawl began between the three with much cheering by classmates but ended when Kakashi grabbed the twins' jackets, lifting them into the air like kittens held at the scruff. "I can tell this is going to be a long two years... no more questions. You two hellcats go stand out in the hallway until homeroom is over." The white-haired man all but threw them out of the classroom and slammed the door behind him. Even though they were both royally pissed off with their friend, they laughed. It was just so good to be together.

"Teme's been actin' weird lately, but he got what was coming to him, right, Sis?"  
"Yeah, now the other side of his face is black and blue."  
"HAHAHA! C'mon! We don't have to stay here. Lemme show you the rest of the school!"

Naruto gave his sister the grand tour. He showed her all the basics: the library, the teacher resource room, the infirmary, the snack counter. There was an awesome dojo - probably for the martial arts club - on the first floor with mirrors on every wall and superb acoustics. It would make a terrific place to dance and not be walked in on. Naruto also shared the view from the roof. Konoha was beautiful from the rooftop. The sun shone its soft morning rays over the snow, leaving everything glimmering gold and silver. From here she could see the whole shrine complex and the Uchiha Corporation skyscraper that casted its wicked shadow over all surrounding it. Usagi followed the chain-link fence atop the roof to look at what other views could be discovered from this height.

Following it to its end she nearly screamed. For weeks she had lost sleep over tanks that the boys had mentioned over the videophone, the tanks she had prepared herself to outdo if need be. Since being here she had not seen hide-nor-hair of them. Until now. Out on what Usagi assumed used to be a soccer field were fourteen state-of-the-art war machines. They were completely different than the broken down M2 Bradley Nagato had used in her training. The South Korean man had only had a blueprint of this model to show her and even less knowledge to share. It was the MAV Uchiwa. There were bombs less capable of destruction than this particular model, and they were parked in a schoolyard of all places! For what insanely inhumane purpose would someone do this?

"Naruto..." Usagi said slowly, "I need to lay down somewhere." Rage was quickly burning through her veins tinged with frozen threads of terror. Her heart was heavy and her head light. Those beautiful photos of her parents in the hallway downstairs... they were dishonored and insulted by this ironic injustice. All she could think about was looking at the street from her home in North Carolina and watching... things like these creep slowly back and forth, occasionally pointing a cautious barrell at families passing by. Why had no one warned her these would be here? Had the boys already forgotten what she had been through?

"Wh-what's wrong, Sis?"  
"I don't feel well."  
"I'll take you to Granny Tsunade! Hang in there, 'kay?"

So Naruto lifted Usagi onto his back and carried her down to the infirmary. A woman with short black hair and fidgety demeanor barely out of her twenties - Naruto called her Shizune - helped Usagi into a bed and began taking her blood pressure. Another Japanese woman with sandy blonde hair and a diamond tattooed on her forehead took a swig from a suspicious looking bottle while taking her temperature with the back of her hand. It was impossible to tell this woman's age by just looking, but Naruto called her "Granny Tsunade". She didn't look a day over thirty for sure! Somewhere there was... a pig oinking? Usagi was sure she was hallucinating again until Shizune picked up the pig and just held it. It wore a vest with beads. What the hell?

"This is TonTon," Shizune smiled when she noticed Usagi's incredulous look, "She's our therapy pig." The woman invited Usagi to hold Tonton and she numbly complied. Really she was overwhelmed at the moment and needed to think. This situation was just too much. There had to be something she could do... but what? Usagi laid in the infirmary for the rest of the school day, claiming feeling faint. "If you weren't Minato's kid I woulda told you to get the hell out by now, you liar," Tsunade huffed from her desk. For her patience Usagi was eternally grateful, because by the time the end bell rang she had two things figured out...

One: she had a plan to get rid of the MAV Uchiwas.

and

Two: TonTon was the best therapy piggy ever.

/

Yay, I was able to finish this chapter in a week! Happy Valentines Day everyone!

To all the people who have faved or followed my story so far (Vampy Kitten, liuli-xia, Snush, InMyOwnWorldAgain, phantompha0), thank you so much! Your input and appreciate means so much to me and I hope you will continue to enjoy my story in the future!

NEXT CHAPTER: Usagi gets rid of those pesky tanks (for real) and Jiraiya hears back from the Akatsuki! Also, why is Sasuke being an ass of a sudden? Do I even know?


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